Future Firefighters Get a Boost in Ponchatoula

Air Products has given $18, 000 to the Ponchatoula Volunteer Fire Department’s High School Program. The money will help ten students start a career in emergency services during the 2025‑2026 school year. The grant comes from Air Products Lake Maurepas Community Fund, a local charity arm of the company. Students who receive the scholarship will enter Louisiana’s High School Firefighter Training Program. They can earn certifications from the International Fire Services Accreditation Congress and ProBoard, covering hazmat awareness, hazmat operations and fire suppression.Air Products says safety and emergency readiness are core to its work. “We love helping young people jump‑start their training in firefighting, ” the company’s commercial director explained. Fire Chief Stormy Joiner thanked Air Products for supporting future firefighters. The department also receives past aid from the company, including a $575, 000 grant for water vessels and firehouse upgrades. Air Products has funded other local projects: stocking Lake Maurepas with fish, offering free school trips to a university research station, buying a boat for Livingston Parish Fire Protection District 2 and cleaning litter in Manchac.