In January 1986, I joined the Machias (NY) Volunteer Fire Department, which was my first official affiliation with an emergency services organization.  However, I my interest in the Fire and EMS services began much earlier.  My father joined the Machias Fire Department when I was much younger, and I grew up helping him with chores at the Fire Station.  I also became certified in CPR and First Aid around age 13 or 14, and at age 17, I became certified as an American Red Cross CPR instructor.  Thus, when I turned 18, it seemed natural that I should join the Fire Department myself.  I remained active through the spring and summer of 1986, prior to leaving for college.  During my college years, I continued to be active during my breaks.  During the spring of 1986, I completed the NY Firefighting Essentials class, and in the summer of 1987, I became certified as a NY First Responder.

        During this period, I became increasingly aware that I was not comfortable in a firefighter role, and I began to take a more serious interest in EMS.  In the spring of 1988, I applied for membership with the Potsdam (NY) Volunteer Rescue Squad, but was unable to join until the beginning of the fall semester in September 1988.  That fall, I completed my first EMT course.  It was with the Potsdam Rescue Squad that I truly fell in love with the EMS system.  During the spring of 1989, I enrolled in and completed New York's Critical Trauma Care and Ambulance Accident Prevention seminars.  The following summer, I was employed by LaSalle Ambulance, based in Buffalo, NY (now part of Rural-Metro Buffalo).  I worked on an Intermediate level unit based at Bertrand-Chaffee Hospital, in Springville, NY.  We were the primary 911 responder for the Town and Village of Springville, and also provided interfacility transports for Bertrand-Chaffee Hospital.

        Back at school in the fall of 1989, I completed the NY AEMT-I (Advanced EMT Intermediate) course, and began practicing as an ALS provider with Potsdam Rescue.  My original intention to continue on to certification as an AEMT-CC (Critical Care) was dropped after I accepted a job offer with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, in Arlington, VA.  I remained active with both Potsdam Rescue (while school was in session) and the Machias Fire Department (during breaks) until graduation from college.

        After graduation, I moved to Arlington, VA.  After making a number of inquiries, it was suggested to me that I might be the happiest as a member of the Sterling Vol. Rescue Squad, in Loudoun County, VA.  While Arlington did have a small number of volunteers, they were mostly utilized in a firefighting capacity, and Fairfax County, VA required all volunteers to be cross trained as both firefighters and EMT's.  So I joined Sterling Rescue and began my probationary period in August of 1990.  However, due to the distance (over 30 miles) and several personal issues, I resigned in October of 1990.  During the next year, I was not active with any Fire or EMS agency, but continued to look for opportunities to participate.  I also completed a Virginia EMT-A course during this time.  In October 1991, I rejoined Sterling Rescue, and the next spring, I moved to Sterling, VA.

        For the next six years, I remained active with Sterling Rescue and have maintained my certification as an EMT-D (defibrillation certification is required by the squad for all operational members).  However, in the fall of 1997, my wife and I purchased a house in Alexandria, VA (primarily to shorten our job commutes), and the distance to the squad again became a major factor inhibiting our participation in the organization.  As a result, early in December 1997, both my wife and I resigned from Sterling Rescue.  At this time, we have no immediate plans to join another organization, but that might change in the future.

        All told, I have 11 years of experience (over the last 12 years), and I am going to miss being a part of the system.  The Fire and EMS systems truly fascinate me.  I am truly grateful to have had the opportunity to be associated with these organizations, and I will always remember all the great moments, as well as some tragic ones.  The number of terrific people that I have met through my participation is astounding, and many of them have become great friends (including my best man, who ran with me in Potsdam, and continues as a volunteer outside of Syracuse, NY, and my wife).  The work performed by these people truly makes a difference to their communities.
 

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