Where are you from? Originally I’m from Flagstaff, Arizona and I moved to Jackson in 2019, in August.

What is your role in the department? I am an engineer and paramedic out of Station 4.

How long have you been a part of JH Fire/EMS? Right when I moved here, I started getting involved in it so it’s been a bit over two years. 

What made you want to join JH Fire/EMS originally? I had a medical background. I was really seeking a greater sense of community and when I ran into Philip Lamoreaux, captain at Station 4, he encouraged me to join and now we’re neighbors. I work as a ranger for the parks service and I just wanted a better sense of community which I felt like I could find through the department..

What are your current certifications? Engineer, paramedic, hazmat, fire 1 and 2, fire instructor, and fire officer.

What are your future goals in the department? My future goals would be to stay a member and to really be a sponge and learn all that I can. With the amount of attrition and everything, there are so many skills that are easily lost. 

What do you do for work? I am a ranger for the parks service. 

What do you do in your free time? I enjoy fly fishing, skiing, and hiking.

What is your favorite part of volunteering? It goes right back to the sense of community that I mentioned: being able to serve the community in a new and different way. I also have thoroughly been enjoying the interactions with my station leadership. 

What advice would you give new recruits? I think the biggest key is to be an active participant in the operations and to be a sponge to learn everything they can. There are so many different ways to do things and there is a lot of diverse experience in the department to learn from, so it’s important to take advantage of that.

What do you wish you had known when starting? Stay task-focused, get your probationary task book done, and have that relationship with your leadership to make sure you’re achieving the goals that you want along the way.

What is the most valuable skill or trait for someone to have on JH Fire/EMS? For me, it’s the attitude as well as just being a good human being. I think all these skills can be taught. They’re not rocket science. Yes, they do require a degree of competency, but that can be molded. Those that come in with pre-set attitudes…that’s often the most hazardous. 

What do you think you bring to the department? I think I bring that integration with the park service and contribute by being a liaison. Bringing the ALS training is helpful, especially because there are not many ALS providers at Station 4.

Who do you look up to? Mac MacFarland.