H-2 - TFD SAFER Higher Education Program Policy

If certified recruit or member applies and is selected but fails to successfully complete coursework, fails to meet department requirements, or leaves the Department before the completion of the semester, then the certified recruit or member forfeits eligibility in the activities and the Program Manager may proceed with another award, if applicable. Active Member Requirements The member must be active. For the purposes of the tuition assistance program, a member must provide twenty (20) hours of scheduled station time or standby time (includes approved department events) or must respond to a minimum of 15% of calls per month during the applicable semester for which the member is seeking tuition reimbursement. A member is not restricted to using the same activity, whether staffing or operational responses, during the semester. For example, the member may use 20 hours of station time in January, 15% or more of the calls in February, and 20 hours of station time in March to qualify. If a member is unable or unavailable to be active and misses the minimum hours or calls per month, the member may email the Program Manager (Fire Marshal) with a copy to the Grant Administrator (Captain Limkemann) to seek a waiver from the operational requirement or approval to make up time. For example, a member who is unable to staff the station for 20 hours in February may receive approval to make up this time in March. If the member completes 40 hours of station staffing time in March, then February’s requirement will be considered fulfilled. The Program Manager and Grant Administrator may approve an alternate arrangement upon a showing of good cause. Application for Awards The Program Manager will publish and email department members to notify them that applications will be taken for the tuition reimbursement and textbook reimbursement programs with deadlines for qualifying, certified recruits and members to apply. Certified recruits and members who would like to participate in these grant activities must submit a brief application to the Program Manager (Fire Marshal) in advance of the deadline set for the semester. The Program Manager will notify the applicants whether they are selected for potential reimbursement of either textbooks or tuition and the amount they were awarded. Textbook Reimbursement Activity In each SAFER year, generally 12 textbooks will be available. Four (4) textbooks will be available for the fall semester, four (4) textbooks will be available for the spring semester, and two (2) textbooks will be available for the summer semester. Generally, the max the Department will reimburse the member under the SAFER award per textbook awarded is $200.00 unless funds are unused. The Program Manager (Fire Marshal) will prepare a list of the applicants for the activity by semester and SAFER Year. The list will include the members’ name and their seniority date, 3