The Geronimo Interagency Hotshot Crew (IHC) is hosted by the San Carlos Apache Tribal Natural Resources Program. The San Carlos Apache Reservation is located in Southeastern Arizona. Geronimo IHC began to be established as a regular Type 2 Initial Attack Crew in 1987, known as the San Carlos #10. The crew was originally formed from Engine, Helitack, and Type 2 SWFF crew personnel. The late Walt Sixkiller was the Fire Management Officer (FMO) at the time, and wanted to see a hotshot crew established in San Carlos, AZ. The crew worked to become an IHC crew by accepting challenging, high complexity fire assignments, which were equal to hotshot crew capabilities. And also the crew maintained a consistent number of fire assignments throughout the years.
In 1990, the crew was asked to come up with a crew name and T-shirt color by the FMO, Wilbur Belvado, and a former Globe Hotshot Superintendent. The name “Geronimo 1” was chosen. The crew decided to pick black as the color of the T-shirts, as the crew uniform.
A landmark had to be chosen to represent the hotshot crew name, so a small town located on the east boundary line on highway 70, was named the town of Geronimo. The name originated after the Chiricahua Apache warrior/medicine man, “Geronimo” also known as “Goyathlay” to his people. He roamed the Southwest following the season of prosperity, hunting, farming, and of course warfare.
Mr. Belvado encouraged and continued to pursue for the crew to receive an IHC status. In 1991, the crew received its Interagency Hotshot Crew status as the Geronimo Interagency Hotshot Crew, hosted by the BIA San Carlos Agency.  From 1991-1995 the crew was unfamiliar with Hotshot responsibilities, and had difficulties functioning appropriately. At the end of the 1995 fire season, with uncertainty in budget, the San Carlos Apache Tribe was approached by the BIA to assume control of the Hotshot Program.
In 1996, the San Carlos Apache Tribal Natural Resources Program began administering the crew under a PL93-638 contract. Michael Longknife assumed the Superintendent position and hired new crewmembers and squad bosses. Longknife, who had previously worked for the Globe and Helena Hotshots, helped advance the crew to its peak capabilities, like an IHC should perform. It was about this time that the crew logo was designed by the Tribal Forestry GIS Shop, with the input from the crew.
For many years, the crew was funded using various available dollars from Forest Management funding sources. Eventually, the National Office determined that since the crew was a national resource, it should be funded using national funds.
Members of the Geronimo Hotshots pride themselves on being in top physical and mental shape. In Native American culture, it is stressed that one should be healthy spiritually, physically, socially, and mentally. Crew leaders stress the importance of keeping pride, integrity, and bravery, within the crew. To maintain an alcohol/drug free policy, by providing random drug/alcohol testing throughout the fire season. This is to maintain a safe environment for the crew, and to show that the organization is a professional, respectful crew.  The ultimate objective of the crew is safety for themselves and fellow crewmembers, and adjoining resources they are working with.
The primary mission of the Interagency Hotshot Crews (IHC) is to provide a safe, organized, mobile and highly skilled hand crew for all phases of wildland fire suppression. The arduous duties and specialized assignments required of IHC personnel require staffing, certification, training, equipment, communications, transportation, organization, and qualifications that are uniform, and adhered to by all IHC’s. And ensure retention of IHC duties and responsibilities found and followed in the National Interagency Hotshot Crew Operations Guide.

Crew Supervision/ Superintendents:                                     
1987   Eugene Irving          
1988   Tyrone Polk              
1989   Benedict Victor Sr. 
1990-1992 Curley Bush Jr.  
1993-1995 Loren Macktima.
1996-1999 Mike Longknife
2000 Randy Anderson
2001-2002 Duane Chapman
2003-2007 Carlos Nosie, Jr
2008 Leroy Brown
2009 Julius Hostetlier
2010 David Provencio, Jr

Crew Foreman/ Assistant Superintendents:

1987                Tyrone Polk
1988                Benedict Victor Sr.
1989-1994       Tyrone Polk
1995-1996       Keith Goode
1997-1998       Dennis Logan
1999                Randy Anderson
2000                Duane Chapman
2001-2002       Carlos Nosie Jr.
2003-2008       Robert Johnson
2009                Stephan Patten/ Samuel Meade Jr.
2010                Julius Hostetler