A recent donation to a scholarship fund honoring a fallen firefighter will enable more Pima Community College students to pursue firefighting careers.
TEP, the sister company of UniSource Energy Services, contributed $7,500 to the William Warneke Hotshot Memorial Scholarship fund through the Pima Community College Foundation.
The scholarship was established in memory of Warneke, who was among 19 members of the Granite Mountain Hotshot Crew who died in the Yarnell wildfire in 2013. The wildfire took place in Yavapai County, which is part of UniSource’s gas service territory.
“We wanted a way to honor Billy’s memory and to recognize his contribution, as short as it was, to the firefighting community,” said his aunt, Lisa Warneke, who founded the scholarship. “It seemed to make sense to encourage like-minded people who were interested in degrees in fire science.”
The donation will provide 15 scholarships to students enrolling in the certification program in the college’s Fire Academy.
The foundation recommended the scholarship donation because it aligns with TEP’s commitment to strengthening wildfire prevention and education initiatives, said Shea-Lynn Hoisington, Senior Community Relations Representative.
Lisa Warneke said her family, along with friends and supporters, have largely funded the scholarship, providing four scholarships a year. She said got goosebumps when she learned about the company’s donation, which will allow the scholarships to grow.
One recent scholarship recipient is Erick Batres Mendivil, who graduated from the Fire Academy in December 2025. Batres Mendivil was inspired to pursue the career from firefighters who responded to a major head injury he suffered as a child. “I nearly died, and most of what I can remember from the incident boils down to people in bulky gear and red trucks with red and blue lights flashing,” he said.
Batres Mendivil, who graduated from Amphitheater High School, said the scholarship allowed him to focus on his education and training, instead of worrying about finances.
“Receiving a scholarship named in honor of one of the fallen Hotshots from the Yarnell fire is incredibly meaningful to me. There were times throughout the academy where I was close to dropping out and the only thing that kept me going was the fact that people chose ME to receive this scholarship,” Batres Mendivil said. “I was afraid to dishonor the legacy behind it.”
Lisa Warneke realizes that some may question why a family member would encourage others to enter a field where a relative has died. But she said she knows many safety improvements have been made since the Yarnell fire and this carries on her nephew’s legacy.
“We look for ways to keep up awareness of him and his whole situation. It’s a big plus,” Lisa Warneke said.
