Fire Department

Six new lieutenants were recently promoted. Get to know them all week long on the MFD Blog!

Where are you stationed?
I’m at Station 12 (South Point Rd.) on the ‘B’ shift.

Where were you previously?
I was a paramedic at Station 2 (Grand Canyon Blvd.) on the ‘B’ shift

How long have you been with MFD?
I started in October 1999.

What do you like about your station and the territory?
Having grown up on the west side of Madison, I have really enjoyed the opportunity to serve the same neighborhoods and people who have been such a big part of my life over the years.  It is rewarding to be able to give back to all those who have helped to create the situations and circumstances that I have come to know as my everyday life.

Over the years, I have been assigned to many different stations, and they are all special and unique in their own way, however there is always something special about working in my own backyard. With my new assignment at Station #12, I am able to continue in that role, and that is something that I hold in high regard.

What are some unique qualities or characteristics about your territory? How do they shape your service to the neighborhood?
Our territory has a wide range of structures, from single-family residential to small business and big businesses alike. We also are known for the large volume of senior housing complexes in our territory, and the residents of these buildings have some amazing experiences and stories to share! We have an equally tremendous amount of growth at the periphery of our territory, and it has been a lot of fun to watch families continue to fill up the new neighborhoods and go for walks past the fire station, stopping in with their children to see the fire engine and say hi. Our station is situated directly across the street from a residential neighborhood and has that true “neighborhood feel.”

What’s the most rewarding aspect of the job for you?
I have a hard time finding a single answer to this question. On a broader perspective, I have simply enjoyed the people who we get to meet every day. We encounter people in every imaginable situation, and to know that we have been provided with the opportunity to try and improve their condition/situation is one of the most rewarding aspects of the profession. 

We also have a really impressive group of firefighters on our department, and I say that from the perspective of recognizing that they are awesome people first, who happen to be great firefighters as well. This allows for a great amount of camaraderie and teamwork which produces some impressive outcomes when our services are requested. It is rewarding to be able to be a small part of the larger team effort that happens throughout the city every day.

What’s the most interesting call you’ve been involved with?
I have had several instances where I have arrived on scene to find that the caller was someone familiar to me – a neighbor, a family friend, the parent of an old classmate, or perhaps someone who I used to coach 20 years ago in youth sports. In each of these instances, you are immediately reminded of how personal each call for service truly is.

On a lighter note, I can recall a fire scene one week into my career where I was almost run over by a toilet that came quickly tumbling down a hill after a wall collapsed at a fire scene.

What do you do when you’re not working at MFD? Do you have hobbies, specialties, or hidden talents?
My wife and I spend most of our time involved with the activities of our three school-aged children. We have a lot of fun, and are always on the run!

I have also been really involved in the local PulsePoint program to bring this life-saving app to Dane County. It is an app designed to assist CPR-trained citizens to be notified of opportunities to provide CPR to those experiencing cardiac arrest in public locations. If you know CPR, download the app, and help save a life!