By Gary Lloyd
A 2012 Hewitt-Trussville High School graduate has been selected as the inaugural recipient of the first annual Alabama Fire College Fire Explorer Scholarship.
Rebecca Griffith was announced as the winner at Saturday’s Trussville Fire Department Fire Explorer Competition.
The scholarship is a competitive award based on criteria established as a result of a partnership between the Alabama Fire College and the Greater Alabama Fire Service Explorer Program.
Griffith joined the Fire Explorer Program when she was 14. Her kindergarten teacher asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up and even at that young age, her immediate answer was “fireman.”
From left are Trussville Fire Chief Russell Ledbetter, Alabama Fire College Executive Director Allan Rice, Rebecca Griffith, Donna Griffith and David Griffith.
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“Firefighting is in my blood,” Griffith said
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Griffith has been a lieutenant and captain in the Explorer program. She has participated as an explorer in several training sessions at the University of Illinois Fire Service Institute and at the Alabama Fire College. She has participated the past four years in the Trussville Fire Department Explorer Competition and led her team in a national competition in Colorado.
Griffith’s father, David, is a volunteer firefighter at Trussville and was fire chief the year she was born. Brother Andy is a firefighter/paramedic and brother Matthew is a firefighter in school earning his paramedic license. Griffith’s mother, Donna, is also a volunteer with the department. Griffith is enrolled in the EMS program at Jefferson State Community College.
Inspirations for Griffith include Trussville Fire Chief Russell Ledbetter, Explorer Post Leader Nate Hopper and Chris Schmohl.
“There is no job in this world greater than being a firefighter/medic because you can help someone on what may be the worst day of their life,” Griffith said. “I want to be a firefighter because there is nothing I love more than this job. I love teaching my peers as well as instilling my love for this job in them and seeing them love this as much as I do.”
Contact Gary Lloyd at news@trussvilletribune.com and follow him on Twitter @GaryALloyd.
