gistfile1.php

<?
require_once '_header.php';

$db = $sql -> OpenSafeConnection(); //see below

$sql = "SELECT firstname FROM jobapplications WHERE firstname = ?";

$query = $db->prepare( $sql );

$name = 'Nicole';
$query->bind_param('s', $name);

$result = $query->execute(); 

$query->bind_result( $firstname );

while( $query->fetch() ){
  echo( $firsname . '<br>' );
}

?>

gistfile2.php

  function OpenSafeConnection(){
        $db = new mysqli($this->_VARS["host"], $this->_VARS["login"], $this->_VARS["pass"], $this->_VARS["db"]);
        if($db->connect_errno > 0){
            die('Unable to connect to database [' . $db->connect_error . ']');
        }        

        return $db;
  }