Jack McNamara Scholarship Fund

The Automatic Fire Alarm Association created the Fire Techs of the Future Scholarship program in 2022, when AFAA awarded a $1,000.00 scholarship. The program was initially conceived to offer $1,000.00 scholarship(s) to one or more student(s) studying fire alarm technology at a postsecondary institution.

Our goal was quite simple: Give back to our industry and support the education of the next generation of fire alarm technicians. On June 9th, 2022, two days after our inaugural scholarship was awarded during the AFAA Annual Breakfast in Boston, MA, Jack McNamara lost his life in a motorcycle accident. At our next Board Meeting, the AFAA Board of Directors voted to unanimously change the name of our Scholarship program to honor someone that meant so much to the Automatic Fire Alarm Association and the Life Safety Industry. Jack had a long and distinguished career of more than 45 years in fire protection and served on the AFAA Board of Directors from 2014 – 2016 as our first President.

In 2023, we honored Jack and the McNamara family by awarding the first Jack McNamara Memorial Scholarship fund with an increased amount of $5,000. Jack’s daughter Michelle was there representing the McNamara family for the first ever Jack McNamara Memorial Scholarship. We are so proud to honor someone who has given so much to this industry.