My EMS journey…When I was in first grade, my older brother and his best friend were in a terrible and tragic accident. His best friend was sadly killed, and my brother was in the hospital for many months. I truly believe his life was saved by the quick thinking of the fire departments and EMS in our hometown, and for a young child this event left a significant impression. I could not wait to grow up and have the same impact- so when I was 16, I joined the fire department. I knew I had to give back to the department that saved my brother’s life. I had to help make sure another little girl didn’t come that close to losing her big brother, or a set of parents losing their child.
While on calls with the fire department I would see EMS on scene, and I was fascinated by their skills. I HAD to know what they were doing and why, I knew this was where I could make a difference. As soon as I started class, I knew I had found my calling, and this was my purpose. I continued my EMS career with enrolling in Springfield College where I completed my BS in Emergency Medical Services and completed my training with coursework in Search and Rescue, Paramedicine, Psychology, and Operations Management. One of my proudest moments was when I became a Paramedic and have proudly served my local communities since 2001 in that role.
I remember when I started in Emergency Services if there was a tough call, common responses were things like “suck it up you knew what you were getting into”, “why would you want to talk about it?” “It wasn’t MY emergency” or any number of phrases that were often dismissive of the emotional and mental health of the responder. EMS personnel, Firefighters and Police Officers were discouraged from talking about the traumas that they endured every day, and it was implied that talking about these things was a sign of weakness.
Over the course of my career, I witnessed so many strong, capable and compassionate First Responders burn out, develop addictions, and commit suicide. Unfortunately, it still was not talked about and often seeking help was looked down upon. I knew there had to be a way that I could not just serve my community, but I could help support my colleagues as well.
When I was approached by Liz Connolly with the idea for this team, it was an instant yes. Providing support and education to current and new first responders is something that I am very passionate about. My goal as a part of this team is to create cultural change within the family of first responders, to acknowledge the inherent stressors of the role in which we play and provide support and validation to those that seek help.
Outside of helping others, I find my favorite stress relief comes from my “Monsters”-my pack of American Eskimo dogs- Cosmo, Cisco, Bailey, Nola and Sully. I also enjoy DIY projects, home renovation/design, traveling and woodworking.
