Firefighter Desmond LeidichSeventeen new firefighters now serve at a fire station near you! Get to know them by subscribing to the MFD Blog.

Where are you stationed?
I am at Station 4 on the B shift.

Why did you want to purse this career?
This is the job I always wanted and always dreamed to be on because of my aunt and grandfather who were/are both also on the job here in Madison. I was incredibly lucky to get this job. I just want to be able to give back to the great city of Madison and help the people of this community. I grew up in Madison/Waunakee.

 
What has been the most rewarding part of your experience so far?
The most rewarding part to me so far is how much we can give back to this community and help the people in this city and in our territories.

Now that you've graduated the Academy, what do you look forward to the most?
The academy was a great experience. I learned so much and met a bunch of great people that I can say are true friends. With that said, one of the biggest things I am looking forward to is learning even more from the amazing crew I have here on 4B. I am eager to listen and learn from them, and to pick up everything they know so I can be the best firefighter I can be, and to be a good, helpful part of the crew.

Looking back at the Fire Academy, what was the most challenging element?
There were a lot of challenges for us in Class 6 throughout the academy. For me, however, one of the most challenging parts was getting use to the physicality that this job demands and adapting to it-- an example being on our first few days in the academy the temperature was in the 90s and we would be putting in work with the ladders and some hose movement. That was a real challenge as far as staying strong, getting through the evolution, and completing the drill we were tasked. Smoke Divers was also a tough week but also the most exciting. No other week brought Class 6 together as much as Smoke Divers week did. We were forced to work together to complete tasks as well as trust each other in every situation we were faced with.

What advice would you give to someone hoping to join the MFD?
I would say make sure you love to help people no matter their problem or how your day is going. Just love to lend someone a hand and go out of your way to help. One of the biggest things I heard throughout the academy is that this job is everything about customer service and taking care of the people of this community as if they were your own family. That is something I will carry with me throughout my career here on MFD. I would also say, love working as a team and make sure you have the strong core values (inner strength, motivation, integrity, compassion).

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Category: General, Station 4