Where are you from? I was born in Jackson. After traveling the country and world I realized that the family, friends, and community that I had here were irreplaceable. 

What do you do for work? My wife and I have a construction company, but over the years I have worked as a reporter, a ski patroller, a salesman of educational devices, andi n the gin and olive oil industries.

What do you do in your free time? In my free time I play among the seasons. Pretty typical Jackson Hole stuff: all forms of skiing, skating. All the bikes. I love to raft. I also love to travel and read and work on my garden. Oh yes, and play with my dogs.

How long have you been a part of JH Fire/EMS? I joined in 2019.

What made you want to join? Growing up in Jackson I looked up to our family, friends, coaches, and friends’ parents who were volunteer firefighters. I admired their contribution to our community. When I moved back to Jackson I wanted to contribute to the community I loved and volunteer firefighting was a good and important way to do that.

What is your role in the department? I am a volunteer firefighter and emergency medical responder out of Station 6 on the Village Road.

What are your current certs? I have my wildland fire red card and am certified by the State of Wyoming as an EMT.

What are your future goals in the department? My goal with the department is to be a lifelong volunteer that plays an ever increasing role within the organization.

Favorite part of volunteering so far? The chicken fry comes to mind. Although it is inevitably a hot and exhausting day, the camaraderie that comes from it is second to none. This may be a metaphor for the entire volunteer position.

Most challenging part? Balancing my life and its responsibilities with the responsibilities of volunteering.

What advice would you give new recruits? The more settled into your life you can be when you join the fire department the more you will be able to contribute as a member of JH Fire/EMS.

Is there anything you wish you had known when starting? I wish I had known my own future better. I was single and very free. Over the course of COVID I got married and changed jobs. My responsibilities shifted and it made it more difficult to pursue my volunteer responsibilities with the same level of commitment.

What is the most valuable trait for someone to have in this line of work? Care for others. A desire to help your community. Time. Commitment.

What do you think you bring to the department? I am enthusiastic and hard working. I also like being part of a team.

Who is someone you look up to in the department? I look up to all of the career staff. Through and through, they are dedicated, well-trained, hard-working, and essential to our community. They also spend a lot of time helping volunteers get better. They are the true heroes of Jackson Hole Fire/EMS.