21 June 2023- The Cumberland County EMS Council is blessed and honored, on behalf of member EMS agencies and the those who benefit from emergency medical services in the course of living, working, or visiting Cumberland County, to receive private donations for the purpose of creating and maintaining an EMS Scholarship Program.
At the request of the principle and inaugural donor, this scholarship program is named in honor of Paramedic Rex Carmichael, a Cumberland County native and lifelong resident, who has served our communities in for decades in a variety of public safety roles.
Scholarship funds are awarded in a manner developed and approved by the representatives of Cumberland County EMS Council member agencies, with the sole purpose of assisting individuals with tuition and possibly other costs incurred in the course of obtaining training and securing EMS provider certification in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and then serving Cumberland County communities in that role.
The scholarship fund is evaluated annually by the Scholarship Committee. Recommendations for annual awarding allotment are made to and approved by the EMS Council. Applications are reviewed in the order in which they are received.
Eligibility:
At the time of application, time of awarding, completion of the applicable training program, AND receipt of the applicable EMS certification credential, a candidate must meet the following eligibility criteria:
• Be a Cumberland County resident, OR be affiliated as a member in good standing, in either a volunteer or paid capacity, with an EMS agency or fire department with first-due 911 service area in Cumberland County.
• Candidates who are selected to be awarded scholarship funds will receive awarded funds in the following scholarship/reimbursement manner:
o 50% of the award will be paid directly from Cumberland County EMS Council, at the time of the awardee’s registration in the training program, to the selected EMS Training Institute on behalf of the awardee.
o The awardee must register, pay the balance due to the EMS Training Institute, and then begin their EMS certification training sometime within the rolling 12-month period indicated on the scholarship application.
Example – if a scholarship year is defined as October 1, 2023 until September 30, 2024, the candidate must be registered and have paid the balance due of his/her tuition, either prior to or during that time, and must begin certification training within the confines of those start and end dates, unless otherwise approved by the scholarship committee.
o The remaining 50% of the award will be reimbursed to the awardee upon successful completion of the training program AND receipt of Commonwealth of Pennsylvania certification.
Reimbursement will be processed upon EMS Council’s receipt of the awardee’s paid registration/tuition receipts and a copy of their Commonwealth of Pennsylvania EMS certification.
Awarding parameters and schedule:
ALL candidates, regardless of EMS certification pursued:
• Application period is July 1, 2023 – August 31, 2023
• Scholarship awarding will be determined and the candidates will be notified no later than October 31, 2023.
• The applicable EMS training/certification program must begin between January 1, 2024 and December 31, 2024.
Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) training and certification candidates:
• Scholarship/reimbursement in the amount of $1,000 will be awarded to successful applicants.
o $500 tuition ((50% of award) paid up front to the EMS Training institute at the time of registration.
o $500 reimbursed (50% of award) to the awardee after he/she submits evidence of successful completion of the program/certification and paid tuition/program costs receipts.
Advanced Emergency Medical Technician (AEMT) training and certification candidates:
• Scholarship/reimbursement in the amount of $1,250 will be awarded to successful applicants.
o $625 tuition ((50% of award) paid up front to the EMS Training institute at the time of registration.
o $625 reimbursed (50% of award) to the awardee after he/she submits evidence of successful completion of the program/certification and paid tuition/program costs receipts.
Paramedic training and certification candidates:
• Scholarship/reimbursement in the amount of $1,500 will be awarded to successful applicants.
o $750 tuition ((50% of award) paid up front to the EMS Training institute at the time of registration.
o $750 reimbursed (50% of award) to the awardee after he/she submits evidence of successful completion of the program/certification and paid tuition/program costs receipts.
Application Procedure:
To apply, complete the application form and associated requirements found on the next page and return to:
Cumberland County EMS Council Scholarship Program
C/O Cumberland County Department of Public Safety
1 Public Safety Drive
Carlisle PA 17013
