Council to vote on Yuma Fire Department and Arizona Western College agreement

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - The Yuma City Council approved the continued agreement between the Yuma Fire Department and Arizona Western College to help mentor, teach, and help develop the next batch of paramedics.

The agreement has been in place since the 1980's and it allows the fire department to send prospective workers to the local college to get their EMT certification.

The agreement also allows AWC students studying to be EMT's to go on ride-alongs with the fire department.

"It allows Yuma Fire personnel to actually mentor, teach, and help develop the next batch of paramedics that are coming up through Arizona Western College's program," said Capt. David Padilla from the Yuma Fire Department.

Bill Kereluk, an EMS professor for AWC shares how his students react to having this opportunity.

"They're awe struck, most all the students are EMTs already and have worked in the field and as they learn more and more of the advanced stuff they appreciate it," said Kereluk.

Eduardo Ramirez, the director of fire science at AWC shares how students to get some much needed first hand experience.

"Not little small classrooms not in small spaces, it's a vast training facility where we get to use a lot of bodies and a lot of space and get to do conduct full on exercises," said Ramirez.

Yuma Mayor Doug Nicholls also says this partnership is a real benefit for the city.

"Looking at ways we can partner with people that have an organizations that have similar interests that we can work together to be more efficient, be more responsive to our citizens, and be more responsible of the tax dollars that we're given," said Mayor Nicholls.

If you would like to sign up for the program you can enroll through Arizona Western College.