Romeoville Fire Academy opens grant applications to recruit minority students

Romeoville — The Romeoville Fire Department is partnering with Endeavor Health to provide Fire Academy scholarships to minority students.

The department was selected earlier this year to receive money from Endeavor’s Community Investment Fund, which supports programs for behavioral health, violence prevention, housing and food insecurity, access to care and workforce development.

The Fire Academy’s grant will be used for the purpose of “supporting workforce development aimed at recruiting, training and launching firefighter and emergency medical technician careers with a focus on young adults from diverse communities,” according to a news release from Mike Pemble, the Romeoville Fire Department’s assistant chief and director of the Fire Academy.

Students who are selected to receive the grant will be able to attend the Romeoville Fire Academy and EMT basic training course with all expenses paid.

In February, Pemble said the department still was deciding how the funds would be divided among students. Those guidelines and eligibility requirements were released this month.

According to the application page on the fire department’s website, applicants must be at least 18 with no felony convictions or disqualifying misdemeanors and must be U.S. citizens or qualified permanent residents. All candidates must demonstrate financial need, academic excellence and leadership potential and must have their high school diploma or GED, as well as a valid driver’s license or state ID.

Applicants need to be members of an underrepresented minority group and meet the physical performance and cognitive standards needed to pass the training. Additionally, potential students must live within Romeoville, Bolingbrook, Plainfield or Joliet. Specific ZIP codes for eligibility are listed in the application.

In addition to supplying required identifying and academic documentation, applicants must submit the application form, which is available online, including a letter of recommendation from a nonfamily member and an autobiographical statement explaining their need, why they want to be a firefighter or EMT, and why they think they will excel within the program.

All applications must be submitted via email or in hard copy by 3 p.m. Monday, June 3, at Romeoville Fire Station No. 1, 18 Montrose Drive. Grantees will be selected based on need and eligibility and will be notified via email if selected.

According to the statement, classes for the scholarship awardees are expected to begin in late June or early July. Once selected, students will be contacted by the Romeoville Fire Academy to create a schedule.

Candidates can submit applications or questions about eligibility by emailing Pemble at mpemble@romeoville.org.