On Saturday September 14th, PFRA hosted our annual PFR appreciation picnic for Plano firefighters and their families at the Haggard party barn. Over 200 guests attended along with 18 PFRA volunteers. Lots of pictures are posted in our photo gallery here:
At the August meeting, the PFRA Picnic Committee accepted a $500 donation provided by Gracie Delacruz from Texas Collision Centers. This donation will be used to help cover expenses at our annual Plano Fire-Rescue Appreciation Picnic, benefiting Plano firefighters and their families. Thank you very much Gracie and everyone at Texas Collision Centers!
At the August PFRA meeting, Capt. Mike Carr walked through a very detailed presentation on search & rescue tactics used by Plano Fire-Rescue during residential and commercial structure fires. We learned that scene size-ups are not always what they appear to be, and we saw how difficult and dangerous interior searches can be depending on conditions. Thank you Capt. Carr for another great presentation to PFRA!
The International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) hosted the 2024 Fire-Rescue International (FRI) conference and expo at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas on August 14-16. Many vehicle manufacturers and supply vendors attended to show off their latest apparatus and gear. Check out all the pictures in our photo gallery: https://www.pfra.net/Gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=230069
The PFRA Scholarship Committee received an unprecedented thirteen (13) applications this year from college-bound sons and daughters of Plano firefighters. All applications were from very deserving students with high scores across the board which made the selection of recipients extremely difficult this year.
After multiple evaluations and discussions, the Committee is proud to announce these three students are the final recipients of the 2024 PFRA Scholarship Awards.
Carsyn Reese Lane is the daughter of Fire Training Captain Clayton (Andy) Lane at the Fire Training Academy and is a recent graduate of Honey Grove High School. She finished in the top 8% of her class with a GPA of 3.8. Carsyn has been accepted at Texas A&M University in Commerce where she will be majoring in Clinical Psychology with a minor in kinesiology in pursuit of a career as a Licensed Professional Counselor for First Responders.
Katelyn Westwood is the third daughter of Captain Craig Westwood to have received a PFRA Scholarship and to attend Texas A&M University in College Station. Katelyn recently graduated from Royce City High School in the top 1.6% of her graduating class with a GPA of 4.824/5.0 and college dual credits of 3.8/4.0 and plans to “complete her four-year undergraduate at Texas A&M College Station then go through Dental school and residency to become a successful Orthodontist.” Katelyn has plans to join organizations and clubs that will allow her to put forth her time in community service to help those around her and within the community.
Mikale Grace Strutton is the daughter of Captain Ryan Strutton at Station 6. She graduated from Wills Point High School with a GPA of 4.564/5.0 and ranked in the top 3% of her class. Mikale has enrolled in Texas A&M University in College Station undergoing a degree in Aerospace Engineering with a career goal of becoming a commercial pilot. She states in her application, “What encourages me to pursue this field is my curiosity to uncover more about the structure/design of aircraft and further use it to my advantage. Through my church, I grew more passionate about geography through the missionaries who visited from all over. Once ready, my dream is to use my job as a pilot to reach others and get involved in ministering to those around the world.”
PFRA congratulates these students for their higher education achievements and we look forward to hearing about their continued success in the near future.
