Superstition Fire and Medical District to sponsor EVIT firefighter program
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They have a fire science program and they train to the national certification standards. Unfortunately, they are not able to actually certify because they lack sponsorship by a specific agency”
A fire district that covers Apache Junction and Gold Canyon is sponsoring the East Valley Institute of Technology’s firefighter program in Mesa so it can be certified to a national standard.
The Superstition Fire and Medical District board of directors on Jan. 18 voted unanimously to provide a sponsorship letter to the Arizona Center for Fire Service Excellence for EVIT.
“It sounds like a good opportunity,” Board Chairman Kathleen Chamberlain said prior to the vote.
The Arizona Center for Fire Service Excellence provides certification for firefighter I and II, hazardous materials awareness and operations, fire instructor, fire officer, fire inspector and fire investigator, according to azfiretraining.org.
Recently SFMD was approached by EVIT regarding potential sponsorship of its firefighter I and II and hazardous-materials programs, SFMD Fire Chief John Whitney said at the meeting.
“It’s pretty straightforward; there’s no cost associated,” he said.
EVIT offers 40 career training programs for public, charter, private and homeschooled high school students who reside in the following East Valley school districts: Apache Junction, Mesa, Queen Creek, Cave Creek, Chandler, Fountain Hills, Gilbert, Higley, J.O. Combs, Scottsdale and Tempe. Students attend their high school for a half-day and EVIT for a half-day. East Valley school districts provide free transportation for their students to attend EVIT.
“They have a fire science program and they train to the national certification standards. Unfortunately, they are not able to actually certify because they lack sponsorship by a specific agency,” Whitney said. “We have a history — starting with Apache Junction Fire District and extending into Superstition Fire and Medical District — with connectivity directly to the East Valley Institute of Technology. So they were kind enough to reach out to us and have this discussion.”
Most firefighting agencies in the Valley presently send their newly hired candidates to regional fire academies where they get firefighter I and II certification, he said.
“One of the things that this (sponsorship) does, however, is it helps out from a statewide standpoint, allowing qualified candidates to be trained during high school — and just immediately post high school — for some smaller agencies that don’t have the ability to go to regional academies, to provide applicants who have the fire I and II certification already out of the gate as a requirement,” Whitney said.
Also, SFMD would be able to recruit firefighters and emergency medical technicians trained at EVIT, he said.
“I would be remiss if I wasn’t honest about it also provides us direct connectivity from a recruitment standpoint — it doesn’t mean we still wouldn’t try to poach people out of there. They also have EMT training now, which we thought might be a great feeder opportunity to provide for our ambulance transportation services as well,” Whitney said.
He said he reached out to Mesa Fire Chief Mary Cameli from a professional courtesy aspect since EVIT’s firefighting program is in Mesa at 1601 W. Main St.
“The chief was OK and in support of that. She had full support, no issues,” Whitney said.
The Superstition Fire and Medical District covers Apache Junction, Gold Canyon and unincorporated Pinal County. The district provides fire suppression, fire prevention, wildland protection, advanced life support, rescue, extrication and medical transportation services out of five fire stations:
Fire Station 261, 1135 W. Superstition Blvd. in Apache Junction;
Fire Station 262, 3955 E. Superstition Blvd. in Apache Junction;
Fire Station 263, 1645 S. Idaho Road in Apache Junction;
Fire Station 264, 7557 E. U.S. Highway 60 in Gold Canyon; and
Fire Station 265, 9294 E. Don Donnelly Trail in Gold Canyon.
Richard Dyer Managing Editor | East Valley @RHDyer
Meet Richard Richard Dyer has worked at Independent Newsmedia Inc. USA since 1987, starting his career in Apache Junction as a copy editor and being promoted over the years to work as the editor of the Mesa Independent, news services editor for the East Valley office in Apache Junction, managing editor for the East Valley office, news services editor for the East Valley office and eventually also for the newspapers at INI’s then-Chandler office, managing editor again and as a news editor covering Apache Junction/Gold Canyon and Queen Creek. He helped start the Florence Independent while the news editor covering Apache Junction and Mesa news. In January 2023, he became associate managing editor for the East Valley newspapers and in August 2023 became managing editor for the East Valley newspapers of Chandler/Tempe, Gilbert, Queen Creek, Florence, Mesa and Apache Junction/Gold Canyon, while also reporting on Mesa and Apache Junction/Gold Canyon.
Community: Since 2009, he has worked as a volunteer to design The Blue Guitar Magazine, Blue Guitar Jr. magazine and Unstrung magazine, which are projects of The Arizona Consortium for the Arts; and since 2014, has been overseeing the art submissions.
Education: University of Arizona with a master of arts in journalism and a bachelor of science in agricultural communication. Also continuing education at Mesa Community College in welding in a metal art sculpture class.
Random fact: Saw his first tornado on May 31, 2010, which was classified as an EF-2, as part of a stormchasing tour group.
Hobbies: He is an artist of welded-steel sculptures, selling his artwork at juried and non-juried art shows.
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