Type of Organization

Fire/Rescue Department - Volunteer

Job Function

Captain

Years in Fire/EMS:

34

Primary Fire/EMS Department:

Highland Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department Gadsden, AL

Years With Department/Agency

9+

Other Past or Current Departments and Organizations

North Huntingdon Rescue "8"
North Irwin Volunteer Fire De[artment
Penn Township Rescue "6"
Harrison City Volunteer Fire Department
Edgewood Police and Fire
North Braddock Volunteer Fire Department

My Training:

American Heart Association CPR 1979
Red Cross Basic First Aid 1979
Red Cross Advanced First Aid 1981
AS Fire Science 1983-1985
Extrication Technician 1986
Light rescue certified 1986
Heavy Rescue certified 1989
Certified Arson Investigation Technician 1992
Red Cross First Responder 1999

Day Job:

Delivery contractor for A New York Times affiliate

Relationship Status:

Married

Facebook or Other Online Profile:

http://www.myspace.com/firefighter930aj

Why I Joined Fire/EMS

To be there to aid those in need. When the husband of my third grade music teacher had his heart attack, I was angry that I didn't know how to do anything to/for him. (This was 43 yrs ago). I ran to firestation 36 to get the guys to come and help Mr. Zwergle. They couldn't do much for him. The ambulance took him away. From then on, I decided to learn as much as could about saving lives and the property of others.

Why I Love Fire/EMS

Functioning as a member of large team proving life-saving, and property saving assistance to people who might not even know who I/we

Top Issues Facing Responders:

In a nut shell....Funding! There aren't enough available for the rural, volunteer, companies to purchase the state-of-the-art equipment that is available to the industry to. The Grants that can be applied for are, quite frankly, a crapshoot. You might get it, you might not. I would like to talk about this issue with some of our legislatures and see if we couldn't hammer out a solution to this problem. I in no way am saying that the paid departments are spared from this either. Their budgets are usually one of the first few to take a cut when they money starts to get a little thin.