ARIZONA—Dozens of Southwest Region firefighters from across a slew of Arizona and New Mexico national forests took home certificates following the conclusion of the 2024 Southwest Engine Academy.

The bi-annual Southwest Engine Academy, which began in 2005, gives wildland firefighters employed by federal and state agencies a chance to learn how to operate fire engines through a combination of classroom-based lecture sessions and hands-on field days centered around both Type 3 and Type 6 wildland fire engines.

Following an application and admission process, 40 students were accepted to the academy, which was held in early February 2024 at the Glendale Regional Public Safety Training Center.

“This [academy] makes our firefighters safer,” said Incident Commander Aaron Hulburd. “It provides more efficient and safe engine operators, better maintained equipment, and a more efficient and effective response to wildfire and fuels management.”

Hulburd, who works full-time as a fire staff officer on Prescott National Forest, said the academy first began as a peer-driven training, started by fire engine operators as a grassroots learning effort.

“The Region 3 engine operators committee identified the need to improve our equipment and standardize it, and also make it safe to operate,” Hulburd said.

During the two-week academy, 40 students are divided into 10 separate engine companies.
Within their companies, students learn the basics of wildfire engine operations, including pumping, driving and maintenance, while vying for honors.

In addition to learning tangible skills, Hulburd said students also learn soft skills.

“The skills they learn make it easier for them to work with others in a complex environment,” he said. “They’re learning how to safely operate their equipment, building on their leadership skills and improving the ability to manage risk.”

Students are tested periodically throughout the academy to measure progress. Classroom sessions focus on topics such as engine, brake and hydraulic system mechanics; engine freeze protection processes; and vehicle inspection processes.

During field days, students practice maneuvering engines—both in drive and in reverse—in different configurations around traffic cones. Students also practice driving engines both through town and at an off-site off-road course and get hands-on work to set up engine pumps and fix common engine problems.

At the conclusion of the academy, awards are issued for top student and for top company.
Nathanial Hatfield, a senior firefighter on the Kaibab National Forest, was awarded top student.
“I wanted it from day one,” he said. “It just felt like being rewarded for the effort.”

Hatfield, who is approaching five seasons working in wildfire, currently works on Engine 314 on the Kaibab’s Williams Ranger District.

Hatfield said the most valuable lesson he took away from the academy was an in-depth knowledge of how engine pumping mechanisms work, and he’s looking forward to taking everything he learned over the course of the academy back to his coworkers on the Kaibab.

Learning materials, such as presentations, handouts and instructional videos, are uploaded to a student portal online so engine academy graduates can share knowledge with other engine operators outside the academy.

Graduates are also encouraged to return to the academy to serve as coaches or support staff, emphasizing the focus on peer-driven training.

Hatfield said that in addition to all the lectures and field sessions at the academy, he also enjoyed the healthy competition and the camaraderie that was fostered throughout the two weeks.

He also said he would encourage all senior and lead firefighters to consider applying for the 2026 Southwest Engine Academy.

“You literally have nothing to lose. Why would you not apply?” he said. “Go for it.”