For more than 25 years, Fire Chief Mike Phillips has been the one answering the call — leading his crew, raising money for families in need and showing up when others couldn’t. Now, after a training incident left him hospitalized with burn injuries, it’s the community’s turn to answer.

Phillips, who has led Cedar City Fire Department for 10 years, was seriously injured during a federally required multi-agency training exercise at the Cedar City Regional Airport last week.

He is currently hospitalized at the University of Utah Hospital in Salt Lake City, where doctors expect him to remain for three to four weeks.

Interim Fire Chief Mike Shurtz said Phillips is in good spirits and optimistic about his recovery.

“He’s doing super good. Even through all of this, he’s saying, ‘I’ll be out o

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