The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) received a $1 million grant from Motorola Solutions during a presentation ceremony today at Atlanta Fire Department's Station 11. The funds will be used to support the foundation’s core mission of honoring fallen firefighters, assisting their families and preventing firefighter injuries and deaths.
During the ceremony, which coincided with the International Association of Fire Chiefs' Fire-Rescue International conference, NFFF Executive Director Chief Ronald Siarnicki said Motorola is a "steadfast supporter" of the foundation.
The funding will be used for two specific areas of the NFFF's focus: the Motorola Solutions Foundation Memorial Scholarship Fund and safety initiatives through the Everyone Goes Home program.
"This generous grant enables the survivors of the fallen to further their educational goals and fulfill dreams that they may otherwise have to postpone," Siarnicki said in a prepared statement. "It also assists the Foundation in our efforts to reduce line-of-duty deaths and injuries through the Everyone Goes Home Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives."
Making the presentation to the NFFF were Jackie Wasni, vice president of sales and services for Motorola, and Matt Blakely, director of Motorola Solutions Foundations. Accepting the award were Chief Dennis Compton, chairman of the NFFF's board of directors and Siarnicki.
"This funding is the next evolution of the long-standing support and commitment by Motorola Solutions Foundation to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation and the American fire service," said Blakely in the news release. "For more than 70 years, Motorola has been a proud supplier and supporter of the American fire service, providing mission critical communications for our nation's first responders."
The Motorola Solutions Foundation Memorial Scholarship Fund provides money to children, stepchildren, adopted children, spouses and life partners of firefighters who have died in the line of duty. The scholarships focus on science, technology, engineering and math and are awarded annually for full and part-time study at accredited colleges universities or vocational institutions.
The Everyone Goes Home Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives program is designed to change the culture of accepting the loss of firefighters as a normal occurrence. It was developed following the 2004 Firefighter Life Safety Summit.
The NFFF is a non-profit foundation formed in 1992 by an act of the United States Congress to remember fallen firefighters as well as working with the U.S. Fire Administration to help prevent and reduce line-of-duty deaths and injuries.
Motorola Solutions Foundation is the charitable and philanthropic arm of Motorola Solutions. The foundation focuses its funding on public safety, disaster relief and education primarily in science and technology.
