ABOUT US

Advanced First Responder Solutions (AFRS) was founded in 2007 by Craig Schurter, a volunteer firefighter. Craig’s passion for volunteer firefighting is a family affair. He shares this passion with three of his brothers who currently serve as career firefighters, all of whom began as volunteers. The journey began in 1999 when Craig joined Marion County Fire District (MCFD) in Salem, Oregon, with eight stations staffed by career and volunteer firefighters. After completing MCFD academy, Craig began a two-year volunteer commitment at his local fire station, where he responded from his family’s farm when the need arose. Craig then moved in as a resident volunteer firefighter at MCFD Station 3, where he served for three more years. Living at a fire station as a resident volunteer contributed many valuable experiences. Through these experiences, Craig discovered some unique communication challenges between volunteer firefighters and their commanders. He found that communication oftentimes was inconsistent or nonexistent until the responding volunteer firefighter reached the station, often three to seven minutes after being dispatched. 

Realizing that every second lost in an emergency is added potential for loss of life or property and that knowing who and how many volunteers are responding is mission-critical data, Craig founded AFRS to develop an innovative solution. Guided by Craig’s leadership, a knowledgeable and dedicated team of professionals, countless hours of research & development, and old fashioned American ingenuity, AFRS created the Firefighter Response system to fulfill this critical need. 

AFRS is dedicated and focused on developing powerful, flexible and user-friendly tools for fire departments, and realizes that its Clients are the centerpiece of its business. We work hard to understand our Clients’ current and upcoming technological needs and to build a relationship of mutual respect and trust with each Client. We value our clients’ suggestions and would welcome your feedback and ideas for future upgrades, enhancements and additional features. Our goal is to serve you and meet your needs. As such, your input will greatly influence our future product development.