COMMUNITY I SERVE

I am currently am assigned to Station 5 and serve the Hillsdale community.

ARRIVING ON-SCENE

I was hired as a firefighter in November 2007.

FIRST SHIFT MEMORY

My very first shift at Station 2 (Parkrose) we started with the trainers working on some emergency medical drills.  After the drill was completed, the trainers made sure that our crew was confident in our abilities so that we could perform the skills in the middle of the night, in a parking lot, while it was raining.  Of course all of us looked them in the eye and reassured them that we would be fine if that call happened to come in.  Needless to say at around 3:00 am that morning, a call came in with a patient who had a witnessed cardiac event, and we had to work the whole code in the middle of the night, in a parking lot, while it was raining.  Although this was the first code my crew and I had ever run together it went well, and I learned that drilling is something to take seriously your entire career.

MEMORABLE CALL

I really can’t pick just one call.  Any call where you can see that you truly made a difference is what this job is all about.  Whether you are putting out a families house that is on fire, or picking their grandfather up off of the floor because he has fallen; when the public is truly in need and we can help and see the relief in their face that is always the most memorable moments for me.

FAVORITE MEAL TO COOK

Since becoming a firefighter, I have come to enjoy cooking a lot more.  I have a lot of regular recipes that I will use, but the one that was my go to while traveling and even now at Station 5 is definitely my Mexican Lasagna.  This recipe has a lot of meat and cheese and I have realized any recipe with those two ingredients in them usually gets pretty good reviews.

MAKING MY WAY TO BECOME A FIREFIGHTER

I had many jobs before becoming a firefighter.  I was a manager at a pizza parlor, YMCA basketball referee, waitress/barista/cashier, valet car parker, strength and conditioning coach, softball coach, and fitness director/personal trainer.

BEING SUCCESSFUL

The successful firefighters that I look up to always seem to be the most diligent.  They do the work and the training because they take pride in what they do and know that we are serving a community that is relying on us.  They seem to be the individuals that are doing the little things all of the time not just because someone told them to, but because it is the right thing to do.  These individuals maintain their actions both at and away from work. 

OFF-DUTY FUN

My favorite off duty activity is hunting and fishing.  I primarily hunt elk, deer, and antelope, but will occasionally hunt for wild turkey, and if I can ever draw the tag big horn sheep.  I am definitely more of a fisher than a catcher but I love trying, and will usually go after trout, catfish, and occasionally steelhead or salmon on the Rogue River.