Two Georgia Northwestern Technical College students are being recognized with the first-ever Jerry Jones Memorial Scholarship, created to provide financial support for students enrolled in EMT or Advanced EMT certificate programs.

The scholarship honors the memory of firefighter and EMT Jerry Jones, who served for four decades with multiple fire departments as both a volunteer and career firefighter, most recently retiring from the Fulton County Fire Department, according to Jennifer Jones.

“We are so grateful to the Jones family for this scholarship,” said Lauretta Hannon, executive director of Institutional Advancement at GNTC. “Being an EMT and firefighter wasn’t just a job for Mr. Jones; it was a calling.”

Hannon added that the scholarship is a meaningful way to carry on that legacy through students preparing to serve their communities in emergency services.

The inaugural scholarship recipients are Nicholas “Connor” Elrod and Everett Williams, both EMS Professions students at GNTC’s Whitfield Murray Campus in Dalton.

Jennifer Jones shared that Jerry Jones began his firefighting journey at age 15 as a volunteer with the Collierville Fire Department in Tennessee, later serving in the U.S. Navy during the Gulf War. She said the scholarship is intended to help future EMTs begin their careers while also addressing the ongoing shortage of EMT professionals.

Jones’ family members—including his children Jonathan Hess, Jeremy Jones, and Juliann Jones, along with grandchildren and siblings Larry Jones, Pamela York, and Karen Dixon—have supported the scholarship and hope it becomes a lasting tradition for future students pursuing EMT certification.