Fayette

County Department of Fire and Emergency Services

announced last week that Lt. Steve MacFall is the

latest recipient of a $1,000 Metro Fire Chiefs

Scholarship for his continuing college education.

The

award is given annually to an officer with the

rank of lieutenant or higher who is enrolled in

an accredited college.

An

11-year department veteran, MacFall is a student

at the Cogswell Polytechnical College out of

California, earning his degree through

correspondence and Internet courses. Cogswell has

a National Fire Academy curriculum not available

in Georgia.

He

will graduate with a bachelor's degree in fire

department administration. He has three semesters

remaining, including the present term.

MacFall

has spent about five and one-half years doing his

college work, including an associate's degree in

fire science technology he earned at DeKalb

College. That was a prerequisite for the program

he is now in.

The

scholarship will pay for three classes, MacFall

said, or roughly one full semester.

firefighter in Fayette County since the age of

19, MacFall grew up in Riverdale and now lives in

Tyrone with his wife, Robin, and 6-year-old

daughter, Allie. He was transferred two months

ago to station three in Tyrone, about a mile and

a half from home.

Only

one of these scholarships is given in metro

Atlanta each year by the Metro Atlanta Fire

Chiefs Association. The program was established

in 1991 for officers of departments interested in

pursuing further educational opportunities,

according to fire and emergency services director

Jack Krakeel.

As

part of the application process, MacFall

submitted a transcript and wrote a 250-word essay

outlining why he believes his continuing

education is beneficial to him as well as the

department. Krakell also contributed his own

recommendation, and a committee reviewed

MacFall's and the other applications before

making a decision.

MacFall

is the third officer from Fayette County to

receive this award in this decade.

"We

are extremely pleased and proud of Lt.

MacFall," said Krakeel. "[The award]

speaks well of our employees."

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