State Firemen’s Group Offers Tuition Aid

The deadline for state college students to apply for the Firemen’s Association of the State of New York Higher Education Learning Plan is Saturday, Feb. 1.

It will be the last chance for students to apply for spring 2014 semester tuition reimbursement.

In 2011, FASNY unveiled a “historic educational initiative” called the Higher Education Learning Plan.  This statewide community college tuition reimbursement program is geared towards recruiting and retaining volunteer firefighters throughout New York.

“FASNY HELP has proven to be a tremendous success and a great tool for fire departments to boost their recruiting of the next generation of firefighters,” said FASNY President James Burns. “HELP funding comes from our federal SAFER grant, which has driven recruitment initiatives throughout the state. We urge all interested students to sign up, as time is quickly running out to apply for the upcoming semester.”

Under FASNY HELP, an individual who hasn’t already achieved a college degree, or has not taken 80 or more college credits, is eligible for up to 100 percent tuition reimbursement. The reimbursement is in exchange for maintaining good grades and fulfilling service requirements in one of New York’s volunteer fire companies. There is no restriction on the type of academic courses that the HELP student-volunteer can pursue, either on a full-time or part-time basis. Recently, FASNY HELP has been expanded to cover online courses taken through Empire State College.

FASNY HELP funds can be utilized for tuition costs incurred in the fall and spring semesters. Eligible student-volunteers must maintain acceptable levels of training and volunteer activity while attending school and fulfill a service requirement after they complete their course of study. They must attend the closest community college or one within a 50-mile radius of their residence.

FASNY HELP is made possible by a $4.2 million U.S. Department of Homeland Security Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response grant awarded to FASNY. For more information on the FASNY HELP program, visit https://fasny.com/index.php/membership/benefits/fasny-help/.