Two recent graduates of Hillsboro-area high schools will have their entire paramedic education at Portland Community College paid for under a new scholarship launched by Hillsboro Fire & Rescue.
Kiyah Parker, a Liberty High School graduate, and Nate Pratt, a Glencoe High School graduate, are the first recipients of the department's Paramedic Education Scholarship, according to a city press release. Both completed the Liberty Fire Science Program before being selected.
The scholarship covers full tuition.
City Manager Robby Hammond described the program at the Tuesday, July 7 council meeting as building "a local pipeline of highly sought-after paramedics," as reported by the Hillsboro Herald. Two awards will be given each year to Hillsboro School District students who complete the Liberty Fire Science Program, funded through a partnership between the city and HFR.
Fire Chief David Downey said the department had been working toward the program for years. "We've been planning this as a department for a long time," Downey said in the city's press release. Parker and Pratt will pursue associate's degrees and paramedic licenses at PCC, with the goal of joining HFR as paramedic firefighters.
Why it matters
Hillsboro Fire & Rescue employs 154 personnel, including 144 sworn members, across six stations covering 25.67 square miles, according to a department recruitment listing from earlier this year. The department was actively recruiting firefighter EMTs and paramedics, with a new Firefighter Academy scheduled to begin Monday, Aug. 24. Firefighter paramedics earn a 13% incentive on top of the base EMT salary range of $77,004 to $110,532 annually.
PCC's Emergency Medical Services program is the largest in Oregon, offering a two-year associate's degree in Fire/Paramedic. The Oregon Employment Department projects Portland-area EMT employment will grow 8.1% through 2027, and the average annual salary for Portland-area firefighters is $91,814.
How to learn more
Residents interested in HFR careers or the scholarship can email [email protected]. The next scholarship application window has not been publicly announced.
