The Prescott Fire Department has welcomed nine new firefighters this week from a joint recruit academy, addressing part of its staffing needs as it manages temporary gaps in leadership roles.
Fire Chief Holger Durre, who recently worked a captain’s shift on Thanksgiving to lead by example, says the department’s values are rooted in teamwork and service. The chief’s move also helped avoid forcing others to work the holiday.
Durre explains the department isn’t short on entry-level firefighters, but rather on experienced officers. It typically takes three to five years to train personnel for supervisory roles like captain or engineer.
The latest graduating class from the joint academy, conducted with Central Arizona Fire and Medical, produced sixteen new firefighters—nine of whom are joining Prescott.
Durre says the additions will help the department grow its capacity in a region increasingly challenged by population growth and wildfire risk.