Aspiring New Baltimore Firefighter and Anchor Bay Grad Receives Memorial Scholarship

Brian Bilinski, Jr. has firefighting in his blood.

The son of New Baltimore Fire Department Deputy Fire Chief Brian Bilinski and Debbie Bilinski was awarded the Macomb County Fire Chiefs Association Chief Gene Shepherd Memorial Scholarship, according to New Baltimore Fire Chief Ken Lawfield.

The scholarship is named in honor of Shepherd who served as Shelby Township fire chief before he passed away last year from a rare form of cancer.

Family members of current or retired Macomb County firefighters are eligible for the scholarship. The recipient can use it to further firefighting education or emergency medical training.

Bilinski, a recent graduate of Anchor Bay High School, successfully completed emergency medical technician training and was scheduled to start Macomb Fire Academy this month. His goal is to follow in his father's footsteps as a firefighter for the New Baltimore Fire Department.