YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – The Yuma City Council approved a continuity agreement between the Yuma Fire Department and Arizona Western University to help mentor, educate and develop upcoming paramedics.

The agreement, which has been in place since the 1980s, allows the fire department to send prospective officers to local colleges to earn their EMT certification.

The agreement also allows AWC students who are studying to become paramedics to ride with the fire department.

“This allows Yuma Fire Department personnel to actually mentor, educate and help develop the next generation of paramedics that will be developed through the Arizona Western College program,” said Capt. David Padilla with the Yuma Fire Department.

AWC EMS Professor Bill Kereluk talks about how students responded to the opportunity.

“The students are amazed. Most of them are already paramedics and have experience working in the field, and as they learn more advanced content their appreciation grows,” Kereluk said.

AWC Fire Science Director Eduardo Ramirez shares how students can gain much-needed first-hand experience.

“Instead of a small classroom or a cramped space, we have a large training facility where we can utilize more personnel and more space to conduct full-scale training,” Ramirez said.

Yuma Mayor Doug Nichols also said the partnership has been a real benefit to the city.

“We are partnering with others who have organizations with similar interests to look at ways we can be more efficient, more responsive to the needs of our citizens and more responsibly use the tax dollars we are given,” Mayor Nichols said.

If you would like to apply to the program, you can enroll through Arizona Western College.