TUCSON, Ariz. - The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), in partnership with the U. S. Army, will unveil Arizona’s newest wildland firefighting facility at Fort Huachuca City, Ariz., April 28. A ribbon-cutting ceremony and facility tour will take place from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.
The building will serve as the operating base for the Aravaipa Veteran Firefighting Crew (AFC) as they work to complete certification as a Type I Hotshot crew by 2019 This would make them the only BLM-certified Hotshot crew in Arizona and one of 12 nationwide.
“Establishing the Aravaipa Veteran Firefighting Crew will be an invaluable resource to the local community and to BLM’s wildland firefighting mission," said Ray Suazo, BLM Arizona’s state director.
The crew is predominantly military veterans and is part of the BLM’s emphasis on post-service veteran hiring, while responding to a nationwide increase in wildfire activity and the need for additional, highly skilled firefighters.
Stood up in November 2015, the AFC is led by Greg Smith, a BLM wildland fire manager with 22 years of experience and a U.S. Navy veteran.
“We are offering military veterans employment and leverages their strong spirit of service to the American people," said Suazo, a military veteran himself. “We are dedicated to protecting the American people from the devastating effects of wildland fires and these individuals, through their previous honorable service, have shown the ability to meet that challenge."
Fort Huachuca Army Base will be the home of the crew’s operating base and make use of existing Army facilities.
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management
