The Board of Directors of the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation has selected Hal Bruno as its new chairman. A nationally known journalist and member of the fire-rescue service, Bruno will head the board that provides oversight and direction to the foundation's many programs.

Jerry Scannell, president of the National Safety Council, will serve as vice chairman of the nine-member board, which he had chaired for the past seven years.

The board also selected Las Vegas Chief Mario Trevino to lead its Fire Service Council. Trevino succeeds Chief Neil Svetanics, who recently retired after 37 years with the St. Louis Fire Department.

The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation has awarded scholarships to eight survivors of fallen firefighters for the 2000-01 academic year.

The recipients are: * Travis Bennett of Carriere, Miss. His mother, a Carriere firefighter, died in the line of duty in 1998.

* Nancy Casiano of Philadelphia. Her husband, a Philadelphia firefighter, died in the line of duty in 1999.

* Amber Drews of Fort Myers, Fla. Her father, a San Carlos Park firefighter, died in the line of duty in 1990.

* Helen King of Alamo, Tenn. Her husband, a Maury City firefighter, died in the line of duty in 1998.

* Kristin Mumford of West Haverstraw, N.Y. Her father, a Garnersville firefighter, died in the line of duty in 1998.

* Elsa Schmidt of Cowlesville, N.Y. Her father, a Cowlesville firefighter, died in the line of duty in 1996.

* Kellie Schoolman of Ashkum, Ill. Her father, an Ashkum firefighter, died in the line of duty in 1988.

* Kenneth Yost of Atglen, Pa. His father, a Cochranville firefighter, died in the line of duty in 1999.

"We are extremely proud that the foundation can play a major role in helping the families of our fallen firefighters," said Hal Bruno, chairman of the foundation's board of directors. "We want to congratulate these outstanding people on their academic and community service achievements. They all exemplify the fire service tradition of helping others."

The foundation established its annual scholarship program in 1996 and named the awards for Sen. Paul S. Sarbanes (Md.), a longtime supporter of programs for families of fallen firefighters.

For more information, call 301-447-1365, e-mail or visit .

The nfpa's Fire Safety Educational Memorial Fund Committee has announced recipients of three fire sciences scholarships.

Steven D. Wolin, University of Maryland, will receive the John L. Jablonsky Scholarship in the amount of $2,500. The scholarship was established through contributions made by friends and family as an expression of admiration for Jablonsky, the 1987 recipient of nfpa's highest honor, the Paul C. Lamb Award.

Gigi C. H. Lui, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, will receive the David B. Gratz Scholarship in the amount of $5,000. This international scholarship, established in 1996 to recognize the diversity of nfpa membership and worldwide development of graduate programs in fire science or fire engineering, was named after Chief David B. Gratz, who combined his fire service experience with his achievements in higher education.

Additionally, the $2,500 Warren E. Isman Scholarship was awarded to the Lancaster County (Pa.) Hazmat Team. Given to a hazmat response team seeking specialized training, the scholarship is named in honor of Warren E. Isman, a senior instructor for the University of Maryland Fire Service Extension Program.

All scholarships are awarded annually. For more information, please contact Helen Beals, staff liaison for the Fire Safety Educational Memorial Fund, at 617-984-7239.