Brownwood Professional Firefighter’s Association presented two B.J. Carnes Memorial Scholarships on Wednesday at Station 1. This scholarship is given annually to deserving students who are attending fire school or working toward a career in emergency services.
Recipients were Kagan Mercer of Early and Gabe Perez of Bangs. Each received $1,000 scholarships.
19-year-old Mercer is a 2012 graduate of Early High School. He has been attending Ranger College in Early, taking prerequisite classes for a degree in physical therapy. Mercer stated that he has been interested in firefighting since he was a sophomore in high school and decided to enter the fire academy to become a firefighter after speaking to Chad Hill who is a firefighter with Brownwood Fire Department as well as the Early Volunteer Fire Department where he is the chief. Mercer will receive his training through the McClennan Community College’s Fire Academy.
Mercer’s father, Early Chief of Police David Mercer was in attendance for the presentation and stated that he was proud for Kagan to enter the fire academy. When asked if he hoped his son would someday work beside him in emergencies, he smiled and said, “You never know.”
18-year-old Perez is a 2013 Bangs High School graduate and has always wanted to be a fireman. He will attend the DeSoto Fire Academy, starting classes on Monday, July 15.
His mother, Angie Powell, was in attendance for the scholarship presentation and stated that she was proud of her son, “This is perfect for him. It’s a very good thing, a very proud profession.”
New trainees for firefighting currently have the option of attending classes on campus or online training. After completion of classroom hours, they enter the firefighter boot camp, which is a “paramilitary” style training according to Lt. Kyle Whitley of BFD. They have to earn their state certification and then work on their EMS certification.
Brent Bruton, BFD firefighter and president of the Brownwood Professional Firefighter’s Association stated that fire academy training gives the students a taste of what shift work will be like and teaches them leadership.
According to BFD firefighter Chad Hill, it takes a minimum commitment of a year to become a firefighter in Texas.
B. J. Carnes was a Brownwood firefighter for four years before his death in a plane crash in 2008. In a previous scholarship presentation this year, his widow Jenny Carnes was pleased to be a part of the presentation.
“Anything that can help someone start a career in the fire field is great,” said Carnes who stated B.J. would have been pleased. “This is exactly what he would have wanted.”
Pictured above, left to right are EPD Chief David Mercer, Kagan Mercer, Gabe Perez, Angie Powell, Chad Hill, Lt. Kyle Whitley, and Brent Bruton.
