Honoring a legacy.Empowering the future.
The Lt. Dewey Henry Scholarship supports the children of our Local 1403 members, helping them pursue their dreams through education.
About
The Lt. Dewey Henry Scholarship
The Lt. Dewey Henry Memorial Scholarship assists the children of Metro-Dade Firefighters Local 1403 Charity Members (Firefighters, Dispatchers, Paramedics, and Local 1403 Office Staff) with college educational costs and pays tribute to the memory of Lt. Dewey Henry, who was widely known as a “Fireman’s Firefighter”.
Lt. Dewey Henry died in the line of duty on September 11, 1994, while battling a warehouse fire in South Dade. He is memorialized at the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial in Emmitsburg, Maryland, and at the IAFF Fallen Firefighters Memorial in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Locally, his memory lives on at Maimi-Dade Fire Rescue Station 34 in Cutler Bay, FL where a memorial was built by his fellow firefighters. The road between Firehouse 34 and the Miami-Dade County South District Station has been named “Memorial Way” in honor of Lt. Dewey Henry and all fallen heroes.
In 2000, this scholarship was established by Local 1403 to preserve his legacy and support the educational dreams of our firefighting families. This scholarship program is funded from membership dues collected throughout the year from union members and other charity event fundraisers promoted by Local 1403. The scholarship is available for eligible students wishing to pursue a course of study beyond high school as an undergraduate student. Awards are not available for those seeking a postgraduate college degree (master’s degree). Eligible programs include but are not limited to: Accredited colleges and universities and post-secondary trade schools. The Lt. Dewey Henry Scholarship is a one-time scholarship award, and funds are issued directly to the scholarship winner for use of an institution or trade school for tuition, books, fees, and/or housing.
The scholarship is based on an academic year. The online application process usually opens between February/March of each year. Notifications of award/no award are made by the end of May/beginning of June. Scholarship winners are also invited to a Scholarship Recognition Breakfast at Union Hall hosted the second Tuesday of June during the executive board meeting.
On September 8, 2026, during the Town of Cutler Bay’s Council meeting, a proclamation was presented declaring the week of September 7, 2026, as “Lt. Dewey Henry Week.” Dewey’s daughter, Celesse Chartier, who followed in her father’s footsteps as a Miami-Dade County firefighter, accepted the proclamation. Local 1403 members, both active and retired, were present for the solemn occasion. Among them was retired MDFR Lieutenant and Cutler Bay Town Councilman Richard Ramirez, along with active MDFR Captain Omar Blanco, who currently serves as the State Representative for Florida House District 115. More than three decades later, Lieutenant Dewey Henry’s courage, sacrifice, and devotion to duty remain part of the proud history of Miami-Dade Fire Rescue and Local 1403.
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