Scholarships and Grants

As you are aware, the cost of education has increased in recent years. The Association is very happy to be able to assist in the education of firefighters in Eastern North Carolina. In 2015 we increased our scholarship funding from $3,500 to $9,000.  Each scholarship is in the amount of $1,500.  Scholarships applications are due May 1st annually.

General Scholarships are for two (2) or four (4) year programs in any chosen area. The purpose of the general scholarship is to assist a firefighter, and/or a child of an active, retired, or deceased firefighter in achieving an educational degree from and accredited college or university. The applicant must be a senior who will graduate from high school in the same year in which their applications are submitted or have graduated prior to the application year. Either the applicant or the applicant’s firefighter parent must have been a firefighter in good standing with a member department for the twelve-month period prior to the date of application for the scholarship unless the parent is retired or deceased. If the applicant’s parent is a retired or deceased firefighter, the parent must have been a member in good standing of the department for at least twelve months prior to the firefighter’s death or retirement. General Scholarships will be awarded based on intellectual ability, financial need, character and promise of future contribution to North Carolina and our Nation.  There are 4 General Scholarships offered.

Emergency Services Curriculum Scholarships are given to an active firefighter, regardless of age, who is seeking an emergency services related degree from an accredited college or university. The Emergency Services degrees are defined as Fire Protection, Fire Sciences, Emergency Management, or Emergency Medical Sciences. The applicant must have been a firefighter, rescue member, or EMS member in good standing with a member department for the twelve-month period immediately preceding the date of application for the scholarship.  There are 2 Emergency Services Curriculum Scholarships offered.

Applicants may only apply for one ECFA scholarship. We also encourage applicants to apply for the many scholarship opportunities offered through the NC State Firefighters Association.

RICHARD LEACH GENERAL SCHOLARSHIP.

The Richard Leach General Scholarships are for two (2) or four (4) year programs in any chosen area.  In 1934, Richard Leach became Fire Chief of Washington.  During his term as Fire Chief he helped organize the “East Carolina Firemen’s Association.”  This association was one of the most powerful in the state. The “East Carolina Association” was founded in Washington, North Carolina and Chief Leach was the Association’s First President.  Chief Leach served as the Fire Chief in Washington from 1934-1952.

ALEX STANLAND GENERAL SCHOLARSHIP.

Added in July of 2018, the Alex Stanland General Scholarship is for two (2) or four (4) year programs in any chosen area.  Alex Stanland has had an exceptional career in the fire service. He retired from the Wilmington Fire Department as the Battalion Chief of Training in 2000 with 30 years of service. He was also with the Winter Park Volunteer Fire Department from 1965-2005, with the last four years as chief. He served on the Board of Directors for the North Carolina Association of Fire Chiefs. He has also served on countless other boards and committees throughout the years. He was associated with Cape Fear Community College for 36 years, both as an instructor and weekend fire college coordinator. Alex has impacted the fire service through his commitment to training and education leaving a legacy that will last generations.

ERNIE BRYANT GENERAL SCHOLARSHIP.

The Ernie Bryant General Scholarships are for two (2) or four (4) year programs in any chosen area.  Ernest “Ernie” Bryant Jr. began his firefighting career as a volunteer firefighter in 1965 with Hampstead VFD before it was a chartered organization. In 1974 he was instrumental in gaining the charter for this department which led to its certification with the North Carolina Department of Insurance. He retired from the department in 2000 with 35 years of service, twelve of which he served as assistant chief. He also served a term as president of the Pender County Firefighters Association.

In 1986 he served as one of the incident commanders for the Pender County Fire which burned 73,000 acres and received national attention as one of the largest fires in the United States that year.

In 1984 he was appointed the director of fire and rescue training for Cape Fear Community College, and he served in this capacity until his full-time retirement in 2000. He remained at CFCC until 2009, working part-time as the director of the three weekend public safety schools (one being the Eastern Carolina Firefighters), and the week long North Carolina Fire Prevention School as well as other special training events.

JAY HOWELL GENERAL SCHOLARSHIP.

Added in April 2019, the Jay Howell General Scholarship is for two (2) or four (4) year programs in any chosen area.  Jay Howell began his fire service career in September 1969 at Nahunta Volunteer Fire Department in Wayne County. He has continued to serve his community and is a strong advocate and supporter of North Carolina’s fire service.

After serving as Assistant Chief he became Fire Chief in 1978, a position he held for 36 years. He is a Past President of the NC Association of Fire Chiefs and was recognized as the NC State Firefighters Association’s Firefighter of the Year in 1990.

Jay currently serves on the NFPA 1720 Technical Committee. At the annual SAFRE conference in 2019 he was presented his 50 year Fire Service pin at the annual conference.

AUBREY RIVENBARK EMERGENCY SERVICES CURRICULUM BASED SCHOLARSHIP FOR $1,500.

This Scholarship is for a two (2) or four (4) year Emergency Services Curriculum based programs only.   Aubrey Rivenbark started as a volunteer in the fire service in 1975 with the Myrtle Grove Fire Department, which later became New Hanover County Fire Rescue. In 1992 Aubrey began his paid career and in 1996 when he was officially promoted to Fire Marshal of New Hanover County, a position he held until his retirement in 2001.

All through his career as a paid and volunteer firefighter, Aubrey’s involvement with training the fire service was evident by his participation with Cape Fear Community College and their Continuing Education Program for Fire and Rescue Squad workers. At the regional level, Aubrey served with the Eastern Association of Fire Fighters. He helped the Eastern Association of Fire Fighters start the regional fire school at CFCC. In 1996 Aubrey was sworn in as the president of the North Carolina Firemen’s Association.

GLENN JERNIGAN EMERGENCY SERVICES CURRICULUM BASED SCHOLARSHIP FOR $1,500.

This Scholarship is for a two (2) or four (4) year Emergency Services Curriculum based programs only.

The applications are offered to firefighters or children of firefighters who are graduates or graduating seniors of a high school during the application year. (with the exception of the Rivenbark and Jernigan scholarships) Your fire department must be a member of the Eastern Association and NC State Firefighters’ Association.

Applications for the above scholarships must be mailed to the Eastern Carolina Firefighters Association Scholarship Committee and post marked no later than May 1st annually.  The mailing address is:

No. 7 Township Fire Department
Attn: Ed Weigl
P.O. Box 3062
New Bern, NC 28564

Please be mindful that this scholarship application packet is in addition to the packet received from North Carolina State Firemen’s Association and comes from your Eastern Carolina Firefighters Association.

For questions, please email Scholarship Chairman Ed Weigl, or call (252) 229-9018.