During a band break at the recent Main Street Vero Beach Downtown Friday event, eight volunteers with the Vero Beach Volunteer Fire Department were gifted $1,000 scholarships to help advance their education toward careers in Fire Rescue. The organization had raised the $8,000 that was distributed that evening through its annual Fish Fry fundraiser and donations from the community.
The volunteer squad has been a fixture in the community since 1923, when its members were the town’s firefighters. Today, they provide backup and support to Indian River County Fire Rescue and to the community at large.
“We’re just so grateful to the community for supporting us,” said Joe Hill, board secretary of the nonprofit organization, which has given out close to $60,000 in scholarships over the past six years.
The scholarships will help fund their continuing firefighter, EMT and paramedic training, all of which are required to be hired by the Indian River County Fire Rescue Division.
At the Fish Fry, Hill had noted that the cost of EMT school is $3,000 to $4,000, paramedic school is $10,000 to $12,000, and fire school is $3,000 to $4,000.
The scholarship recipients – Peirce Adams, Liam Brady, Benjamin Dessart, Frank Fehling, Ryan Howard, Pamela Meyer, Ryan Ramsey and Daniel Rey – have been with the squad anywhere from a few months to multiple years, and most are already certified in either Firefighter 1 (basic fire service) or Firefighter 2 (more specialized areas and command), as Emergency Medical Technicians or as a Paramedic.
With a couple of exceptions, these scholarship recipients are attending the Indian River State College Fire Academy at the Treasure Coast Public Safety Training Complex in Fort Pierce.
Others are attending a Fire Training Academy at Eastern Florida State College in Brevard County. Meyer, the only female of this group, has already been through fire and EMT training, and is currently enrolled at the University of Florida studying psychology.
“It’s all strictly out of pocket, so this is going to help me a lot,” said Ryan Ramsey, who is enrolled in the IRSC paramedic program. He has been with the squad since high school and is currently president of the organization.
During their time as volunteers, they can earn valuable hands-on, practical knowledge as active riders on fire trucks and ambulances. The experience also enables them to better understand the county and its residents.
To go on ride-alongs, the volunteers need to be 18 or older, and must go through an application process that includes background checks, and certification in Firefighter 1 or 2, EMT or paramedic programs.
“But anybody 16 years old or older can be a volunteer with the organization,” said Sheryl Hathaway, the nonprofit’s public information officer. Hathaway worked as a paramedic for eight years in Detroit and joined the volunteer squad a little more than four years ago.
She said that in addition to taking their mascot “Sparky” to the Firefighters Fair and various other community fundraisers, parades and schools, they offer CPR training to the community, preferably to groups of 10 or more.
Mark your calendars for the last Saturday in March 2022, when the Vero Beach Volunteer Fire Department will host its 55th annual Fish Fry Fundraiser at Fire Rescue Station #2.
For more information, visit vbfire.org.
Photos by Kaila Jones
