Sprinkler Age A Publication of the American Fire Sprinkler Association
Donations Fund the Future of the Fire Sprinkler Industry
The Center for Life Safety Education (CLSE), an educational affiliate of the American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA), is proud to sponsor two scholarship programs: the Philip L. DeCamara, Jr. Scholarship and the Thomas S. Waller Memorial Scholarship. These programs honor dedicated industry veterans who made a difference in the fire sprinkler industry by offering scholarships named in their honor to students studying for a fire protection engineering career.
Philip L. DeCamara, Jr. Scholarship
University of Maryland (UMD) Established by the AFSA Board of Directors in 1984, the DeCamara Scholarship program benefits outstanding juniors and seniors majoring in the Fire Protection Engineering curriculum at the University of Maryland in College Park, DeCamara’s alma mater. The program presents two scholarships each year.
AFSA honors DeCamara for his commitment to the fire sprinkler industry and the association. As president of DeCamara Fire Protection Products (DFPP), he became involved during AFSA’s early years. In 1983 he chaired the Budget & Finance Committee and co-chaired the then newly formed Manufacturers & Suppliers (M/S) Council. Later that year, DeCamara passed away of a heart attack, leaving behind his wife Terry and their five children. Terry is still involved with the scholarship committee today, evaluating applicants and presenting scholarship awards.
Selena Chin is the 2016 first-place winner, receiving a $4,000 scholarship. She is a member of the Society of Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE) and the Society of Women Engineers. She studied abroad at the Danish Technical University in Denmark and interned two summers at Northrop Grumman in its Environmental Health, Safety and Fire Protection sector. Chin became interested in engineering in high school and chose the fire protection field once she visited the University of Maryland and the department’s informational table at Maryland Day.
Second-place winner Jessica Doermann feels “lucky” to have found the fire protection engineering department. Doermann is an active member of SFPE, Alpha Omega Epsilon engineering sorority, A. James Clark School of Engineering ambassadors, and the College Park, Maryland Volunteer Fire Department. Serving as a volunteer EMT/firefighter at the fire department has allowed Doermann to learn about the “other side” of fire protection. In addition, she states that being an ambassador has helped her share her passion for fire protection with prospective students, “encouraging them to become the next generation of fire protection innovators and life savers.”
Thomas S. Waller Memorial Scholarship
Oklahoma State University (OSU) The AFSA Board of Directors voted to fund a second scholarship in 2005 after industry leader Thomas S. Waller passed away. Waller devoted more than 40 years to the fire protection industry. He served as chairman of the board of Viking Fire Protection of the Southeast in High Point, North Carolina, and also gave much of his time to AFSA. He helped form the AFSA Carolinas Chapter and served on the board of directors of the North and South Carolina state chapters. He also served on the AFSA Board of Directors from 1985-1995 and as national chairman of the Board from 1989-1991. Waller believed in the value of education and was determined in his efforts to provide educational opportunities for young people, both in and outside of the industry. The Waller scholarship is presented to juniors or seniors enrolled in the Fire Protection & Safety Technology program in the College of Engineering, Architecture & Technology at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater.
Gregory Held, a junior majoring in Fire Protection & Safety Technology at Oklahoma State University (OSU), has received the $4,000 2016 Thomas S. Waller Memorial Scholarship. Held has worked full-time in the fire protection field, and even attended AFSA’s Beginning Fire Sprinkler System Planning School in 2013. He is eager to earn his degree, and obtain a job with the U.S. National Park Service so he can “help to protect our national treasures.”
Invest in the Future
Your donations help students attain their educational goals and professional dreams while positively impacting the fire protection industry. Supporting either the DeCamara Scholarship Fund, Waller Scholarship Fund or both is greatly appreciated by the winners, their families, and the DeCamara and Waller families. Remember, as CLSE is a 501(c)(3) educational affiliate of AFSA, all contributions made to these scholarship funds are tax deductible. To make a one-time donation or become a regular donor, visit CLSE online at clse.org and click on “Scholarships” or mail a check to DeCamara Scholarship OR Waller Scholarship, c/o CLSE, 12750 Merit Dr., Ste. 350, Dallas, Texas 75251. For more information or to apply, visit clse.org/scholarships.htm.
2016 Thomas S. Waller Memorial Scholarship Fund Contributors
The Thomas S. Waller Memorial Scholarship fund is supported by voluntary donations from corporate and individual members of the fire protection industry and their friends and associates. AFSA and CLSE thank the individuals and companies listed below for their contributions to the 2016 scholarship, as well as the donors who chose to remain anonymous.
ACT Pipe and Supply, Inc., Houston, TX
Advanced Fire Protection, Inc., Woodinville, WA
Advanced Fire Protection, Inc., Travelers Rest, SD
Aegis Fire Systems, Inc., Pleasanton, CA
Aegis Technologies, Inc., Wayne, PA
Alwest Fire Protection, Roseville, CA
American Automatic Sprinkler, Fort Worth, TX
Anchor Fire Protection, Perkiomenville, PA
Bamford Fire Sprinkler Co., Inc., Salina, KS
Carolina Fire Control, Inc., Concord, NC
Carolina Fire Protection, Inc., Dunn, NC
Central Carolina Sprinkler Co., Lincolnton, NC
Control Fire Protection Inc., Bakersfield, CA
Crawford Sprinkler Company of SC, Inc., Lugoff, SC
Crawford Sprinkler Company, Hickory, NC
Croker Fire End & Croker Corp, Elmsford, NY
Extinguish Fire Corporation, Fredericksburg, VA
Fire & Life Safety America, Hanover, MD
Fire & Safety Systems Co., Ocean, NJ
Fire Protection Products, Inc., Carlsbad, CA
Fire Tech Systems Inc., Shrevport, LA
Gagnon Engineering, Woodbine, MD
General Air Products, Inc., Exton, PA
Hampshire Fire Protection, Westfield, MA
Hampshire Fire Protection, Londonderry, NH
Hub City Sprinklers, Hagerstown, MD
Jimco Fire Protection, Inc., Augres, MI
Leonhardt Pipe & Supply, Huntersville, NC
Noble Company, Spring Lake, MI
Pryor Automatic Fire Sprinkler, Great Bend, KS
Rapid Fire Protection, Rapid City, SD
Reliable Automatic Sprinkler Co, Liberty, SC
Southeast Fire Protection, LP, Houston, TX
Strickland Fire Protection, Inc., College Park, MD
Sunland Fire Protection, Inc., Jamestown, NC
Sunland Fire Protection, Inc., High Point, NC
Viking Group Inc., Hastings, MI
VSC Fire & Security, Inc., Ashland, VA
VSC Fire & Security, Inc., Virginia Beach, VA
Western Fire Protection, Poway, CA
2016 Philip L. DeCamara, Jr. Scholarship Contributors
The DeCamara Scholarship fund is supported by voluntary donations from corporate and individual members of the fire protection industry and their friends and associates. AFSA and CLSE thank the individuals and companies listed below for their contributions to the 2016 scholarship, as well as the donors who chose to remain anonymous.
ACT Pipe and Supply, Inc., Houston, TX
Advanced Fire Protection, Inc., Woodinville, WA
Advanced Fire Protection, Inc., Travelers Rest, SD
Aegis Fire Systems, Inc., Pleasanton, CA
Aegis Technologies, Inc., Wayne, PA
Anchor Fire Protection, Perkiomenville, PA
Carolina Fire Protection, Inc., Dunn, NC
Cen-Cal Fire Systems, Inc., Lodi, CA
Central Carolina Sprinkler Co., Lincolnton, NC
Control Fire Protection Inc., Bakersfield, CA
Crawford Sprinkler Co. of SC, Inc., Lugoff, SC
Crawford Sprinkler Company, Hickory, NC
Croker Fire End & Croker Corp., Elmsford, NY
Andrew & Allison DeCamara, Sherman Oaks, CA
Terese DeCamara, Dresher, PA
Extinguish Fire Corporation, Fredericksburg, VA
Fire & Life Safety America, Hanover, MD
Fire & Safety Systems Co., Ocean, NJ
Fire Protection Products, Inc., Carlsbad, CA
Fire Solutiona, Inc., Ashland, VA
Fire Tech Systems Inc., Shrevport, LA
Gagnon Engineering, Woodbine, MD
General Air Products, Inc., Exton, PA
Hampshire Fire Protection, Westfield, MA
Hampshire Fire Protection, Londonderry, NH
Jimco Fire Protection, Inc., Augres, MI
Leonhardt Pipe & Supply, Huntersville, NC
Nancy & Joe Magllio, West Hartford, CT
Noble Company, Spring Lake, MI
Rapid Fire Protection, Rapid City, SD
Reliable Automatic Sprinkler Co., Liberty, SC
Southeast Fire Protection, LP, Houston, TX
Strickland Fire Protection Inc., College Park, MD
Sunland Fire Protection, Inc., High Point, NC
United Sprinkler Co., Inc., Fredericksburg, VA
Viking Group Inc., Hastings, MI
VSC Fire & Security, Inc., Ashland, VA
VSC Fire & Security, Inc., Virginia Beach, VA
Western Fire Protection, Poway, CA
