IAFC Foundation Announces 2009 Heather Westphal Memorial Fund Scholarship Winner

IAFC On Scene: October 1, 2009

The IAFC Foundation is pleased to announce the winner of the first Heather Westphal Memorial Scholarship Award: Firefighter/Paramedic Christina Fazio with Bolingbrook Fire Department in Illinois. Ms. Fazio is pursuing a bachelor’s degree from Columbia Southern University in fire service management.

Ms. Fazio, in learning that she is winning this award said, “I’m truly honored to be selected to receive the Heather Westphal Memorial Scholarship Award benefiting women in the fire service. As a fulltime career paramedic preceptor and educator, I realize continuing education is crucial to the fire service as we deal with rapidly changing and complex issues in today’s fire service, such as preparing for the H1N1 flu, keeping up to date on different treatment modalities and a range of other issues. Obtaining this degree will not only benefit me personally and my department but, having been in the fire service for 11 years, will also set a good example to others that it is possible to get a college education later in your career and life.”

FF / Paramedic Fazio

The IAFC Foundation, originally founded by the IAFC, prepares fire and emergency service leaders by providing scholarships to first responders to help them advance their educations. The IAFC Foundation recently created this fund benefiting women in the fire service to honor IAFC’s Membership Marketing Manager Heather Westphal, who died in October 2008. All who worked with Heather or knew her can take comfort that her passion for and intention to improve the fire and emergency service is reflected in this scholarship fund benefiting women first responders.

Support for the Heather Westphal Memorial Scholarship Fund was received from the IAFC, the International Association of Women in Fire and Emergency Services, The Eastern Division of the IAFC, Balmar, Mr. and Mrs. Conti—Heather’s parents—and other individual donors wishing to honor Heather’s memory and contribution to the fire and emergency service.

Women are in the minority in the fire service and this fund benefiting female first responders can serve to increase participation and promote advancement for women through educational scholarships provided by the IAFC Foundation. iWomen encourages their members to apply to the IAFC Foundation scholarship program to help advance their educations and careers.

The IAFC Foundation is awarding a total of $30,000 to 33 qualified first responders for 2009, including the Heather Westphal Memorial Scholarship Fund Award. All these educational awards provided by the IAFC Foundation are made possible with support from individuals, foundations and fire service-related companies who understand and appreciate the value and necessity of an agile, educated, versatile first-responder workforce. You too can help ensure first responders have the education needed to lead the fire and emergency service and respond to the challenges faced every day: Donate online.

For more information about the IAFC Foundation or how to apply for a scholarship, please go to www.iafcf.org or contact Judy Kirk at jkirk@iafc.org.