I was born in a small town in Utah in 1978. My family moved around Utah 9 time in 8 years, finally ending up in Elko, Nevada in 1988. I graduated from Spring Creek High School with the First Graduating Class from the newly built school in 1996. In 1996 I moved back to Utah and attended ITT Technical Institute and acquired an Associate’s Degree in Computer Aided Drafting and started a Bachelor of Industrial Design.
My Fire/EMS history started when my Grandpa witnessed a serious car accident in the 1970’s and he did not know what to do. The victim of the accident was an old high school friend of his. When he got home that night, covered in blood he told my Grandma, “we are getting involved”. They became some of first EMT’s in the state of Utah. From there my dad continued what was started thru the 1980’s. As I was growing up, I got to be a part of many training and mock disasters that they staged. Thru the late 80’s and 90’s I was involved in boy scouts. First Aid was my favorite Merit Badge and I was certified in CPR. In 1994 I became an Eagle Scout.
In 2000 I took my first class that started my Volunteer Career as an EMT-Basic in Utah and I ran a few calls in Piute County then moved to Nevada shortly after. I attempted to get on with Elko Ambulance but was unable to.
In 2002 I attempted to get on with Spring Creek Volunteer Fire Department. I had taken the ELF class that was offered. I ended up getting frost bite on my feet after completely the final training scenario on an abandoned home. Conflicts with my wife at the time and other obligations prevented me from continuing.
In early 2004 after my Utah certification expired, I retook the class from Great Basin College in Elko and became a Nevada certified EMT-Basic. This class got me involved more in EMS in Elko and I gained many friends. Shortly after the class ended, I called my instructor who was also second in command at Elko Ambulance. I asked what I needed to do in order to get on with Elko Ambulance. She told me to stop by as soon as possible. I was hired that day in May 2004.
One year later, after running ambulance regularly as a volunteer, I was accepted into the EMT-Intermediate class at Great Basic College. After completing this class and being a regular on Thursday nights, my regular partner Sargent Ben Jenkins and I became know as the Thursday Night Hero’s. Ben and I ran together for about 5 years before he left to become a Nevada State Trooper. Ben was involved in fire at the time and that grew my interest in fire as well. In 2020, Ben was killed in the Line of Duty as an NHP officer.
In Jan 2008 after an incident and standing up for what was right, I was temporary suspended from Elko Ambulance. Needing something to fill that void and the time, I joined Elko County Search and Rescue and Spring Creek Volunteer Fire Department. 3 months later, I was reinstated with Elko Ambulance.
In 2009 I took the FF1 class that was hosted by Carlin Volunteer Fire Department. Around 2010 I was promoted to Captain with Spring Creek VFD. Also, around this time, I took the bridge class from EMT-Intermediate to EMT-Advanced which was the new national standard.
In August of 2015, one week before the Fall Semester normally started at Great Basin College, I learned that the Associates of Applied Science in Paramedicine was approved and ready to start. My girlfriend at the time called and told me to sign up. 2 years later we graduated as National Registry Paramedics from the first Paramedic Class offered by Great Basin College.
In 2017 I was promoted to Assistant Chief with Spring Creek Volunteer Fire Department. In Jan of 2018, my Paramedic Girlfriend and I got married and went on our honeymoon in New Zealand.
In 2018 the leadership of Elko Ambulance along with Elko County HR department and I had a falling out. For moral and ethical issues, I could no longer work for them and turned in my resignation. Later that year, I started running as a Paramedic with Wendover Ambulance and got my Utah Paramedic License. Also, that year, the Director of Humboldt General Hospital Ambulance program called my wife and I to see if we would be willing to help at the Burning Man festival in Black Rocky City, Nevada
Currently I am the Assistant Chief/Firefighter/EMT with Spring Creek Volunteer Department, Paramedic with Wendover Ambulance, Paramedic with HGH for Burning Man, and a team leader with Elko County Search and Rescue Team. I do all of that for fun. My full-time job because for the past 15 years has been a Project Manager for Komatsu Mining Corporation.