North Westside firefighter award first scholarship

A young North Westside Firefighter is the recipient of the inaugural North Westside Fire Rescue Society scholarship.

At the age of 17, Tyler Folk started as a junior firefighter with the paid-on-call department while he was attending high school in Vernon and graduated earlier this spring.  Coinciding with his secondary school graduation, Tyler also completed his firefighter recruitment training with the department which serves the Westside Road subdivisions of Killiney Beach, Westshore Estates, Fintry and Upper Fintry.

The Society’s Jason Satterwaite, says Tyler is a great first recipient of the award.  “He’s become a great firefighter and has shown a talent for first medical response, achieving his level 3 accreditation.  Tyler’s goal is to become a paramedic and work his way towards a professional firefighting career.   He plans to use the scholarship funds to take a paramedic course in early 2016 through the Justice Institute of BC.”

The non-profit North Westside Fire Rescue Society mandate is to ensure the betterment of the department and community and conducts fundraising activities throughout the year.  Its members decided this year to set up a $1,000 scholarship for members of the department who are considering a professional emergency services career and wish to further their education.   Candidates provide a written application to the Society and must give a presentation to department members to explain why they should be selected.  The recipient is chosen by all department members in a private ballot vote.

Satterwaite adds, “We’re pleased to offer Tyler and potentially other young members of the department some financial help as an incentive to achieve their longer term professional goals as emergency service providers.”