Driven To Serve began with a clear realization: While our vital military personnel protect us outside of our borders, it is our fire service, law enforcement and EMS providers who are this nation's protectors from within. Here at home, our public safety members keep us safe on a daily basis and are just a phone call away. They are individuals from our own neighborhoods and should be diversely representative of our communities.

Public Safety Agency staffing throughout California, and across the nation, has seen a dramatic decrease in recent years. Proactive outreach to achieve an inclusive public safety core in California should be considered a priority. This is the time to rebuild these career pathways and reshape the mold of our first responder agencies with inclusivity at the forefront.

The vision of this organization is to institute career pathways courses in Fire Science, EMT and Law/Social Justice in high schools, in each county, throughout the state. Developed curriculum, in certain pathways, will translate to immediate sustainable wage job qualifications upon graduation. Additionally, granting access, statewide, for thousands more of our youth to learn about and participate in these technical education courses from an earlier age will allow them to develop a more informed view of law enforcement, fire service and EMS job realities and, consider those pathways as a future career.

Our message to those who are contemplating a career as a first responder: Be The Difference. Public safety professionals are necessary and invaluable. Participate. Contribute your talents and enthusiasm toward the positive future of public safety and you will know a rewarding career like no other.

Initial pre-apprenticeship outreach will take place in Solano, Alameda, Contra Costa and San Mateo Counties.