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

Where are you stationed?
I'm at Station 5 (Cottage Grove Road) on the 'C' shift.

Where were you previously?
I was an Apparatus Engineer at Station 13 (Town Center Drive) on the 'A' shift.

How long have you been with the MFD?
Since February 21, 2000.

What do you like about your station and/or the territory?
For starters, I work with a great crew. This is also my second “tour” at Station 5. My first was 12 years ago as a firefighter when I lived only a few blocks from Station 5. I’m familiar with the territory and I’ve always enjoyed the variety of calls Station 5 receives.

What are some unique characteristics about your territory, and how do they shape your service to the neighborhood?
Station 5 has one of the largest territories in the city. Properties range from private residences and apartments, to commercial occupancies, to large industrial facilities. We even serve rural areas (Town of Blooming Grove) without hydrants. All of that makes Station 5 personnel some of the most well-rounded firefighters on the MFD.

How has your perspective changed now that you're a lieutenant?
As a Firefighter, and later as an Apparatus Engineer, I was able to focus mainly on the tasks I was performing, whether that was fighting the fire or operating the pump on an engine or ladder. As a Lieutenant, I also have to manage and direct other incoming units until a Chief Officer can arrive and take over as Incident Commander.

What's the most interesting call you've been involved with or in charge of?
I fought my first full structure fire as a Lieutenant about a month ago on Inwood Way. We arrived on scene to find a fully-involved garage fire threatening to spread to the interior of the home. It was the first time I had to balance the responsibilities of leading my crew in a fire attack as well as directing other incoming units.

What do you do when you're not working at MFD? Do you have hobbies, specialties, or hidden talents?
Off duty I like to fish and spend time with my family. I have also been working on a Virtual Reality-based training system that was mentioned a while ago on the MFD Blog.

This content is free for use with credit to the City of Madison - Fire and a link back to the original post.

Category: General, Station 5