More than 2 million Arizona residents are protected by volunteer or combination fire departments. These organizations are mainly in rural or semi-rural areas where residents and structures are spread over a wide range of terrain.

The volunteers donate their time, and salaries for the firefighters who do get paid are typically below poverty level. Despite the millions of people depending on them, critical ongoing training is typically out of reach financially.

That’s where Eric Kriwer and the Arizona Fire School fill the gap. A project of the Arizona Firefighters Fund, the school has gifted more than $1 million in scholarships for continuing education for firefighters including live drills and skills to equip them with the latest techniques in firefighting. They train nearly 1,000 firefighters and fire prevention professionals each year, making not just the public safer, but the firefighters as well.

Click here to learn more about the Arizona Firefighters Fund: https://www.azfirefightersfund.org/

Original air date: July 3, 2025.