Meet the Outstanding Binghamton Teen Who is Literally Fighting to Protect Her Community

Since its foundation in 1872, the Firemen’s Association of the State of New York has informed, educated, and trained approximately 85,000 volunteer firefighters and emergency medical personnel in New York State.

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The Firemen's Association not only gives volunteer firefighters the materials needed to be informed and educated but also offers benefits such as insurance policies and discounts at various retailers and service providers. The Firemen's Association also offers scholarships to outstanding volunteer firefighters to assist with their secondary education.

Five Mile Point Fire Company volunteer firefighter Kenna Abell was selected as one of 26 students in New York State to be honored for her volunteer service to the Binghamton area community via the Gerard J. Buckenmeyer Volunteer Scholarship. The $1,500 scholarship will help pay for some of Abell's education at King's College in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania where she plans to spend the next five years. Abell has aspirations to major in physician assistant studies and to play softball.

When she's not serving the Binghamton community in a volunteer firefighter capacity, Abell, a graduate of Chenango Valley High School, works as a cashier at Wegmans in Johnson City.

Abell told the Firemen's Association that her family is her inspiration, “my dad and brother are both volunteer and professional firefighters. They are the reason that I joined the fire service.”

Abell feels that there's something really specials about being part of the firefighter community explaining, "...Being a young female firefighter is different from male volunteers...I have about 50 “dads.” They all watch over me and protect me during calls and make sure I am learning and progressing with my training.”

Congratulations are also extended to Rebecca Hawkins, a graduate of Owego Free Academy. Hawkins volunteers with the Owego Fire Department and was also selected as a recipient of the Gerard J. Buckenmeyer Volunteer Scholarship.