Mentor Interview
(I had to summarize so these are not his exact words but close to it)
Name and something about yourself
Greg Childress, Started firefighting eleven years ago in Florida moved up to Durango three years ago
What did you do before this job?
Construction and laid tile. Before that I went to college to be a teacher. I never really choose high paying jobs.
What inspired you to do this job?
I wanted a job that had substance something that did good in the world. Not just something that made money. I wanted more reward then just a pay check and fighter fighting and helping people gives me that reward.
What is the most intense call you have been on with DFRA?
A guy that died in the back of the ambulance,
It was 2 am on 32nd and main I knew he was sick but his EKG was good so I thought he was stable so we were taking a normal ride to the hospital. He looked over at me on 32nd and main and said I feel sleepy. I looked at the monitor and he had died. I went into work mode and used a defibrillator the guy by the time we were at the hospital he was awake and talking to me. When he came back it was like a game winning shot, I wanted to chest bump someone I felt to exhilarated. The intense part was I was by myself in the back of the ambulance so that was really gratifying that I saved him by myself. I did a school presentation four months later at Durango high. Turns out his 16 year old daughter was there and I didn’t know it while giving the presentation so I told the story of saving him. She came up to me and started sobbing thanking me for saving her dad. That to me is more valuable than any pay check.
What is your favorite part of this job?
People, how much we deal and interact with people. Just even helping people or waving at little kids on the river trail when were at the station or when there doing station tours.
Whats your least favorite part of this job?
Kids, when bad things happen to kids. Kids are the innocence, when you see an adult hurt its easier knowing they had a choice to make to get there but when a kid is hurt its harder to see knowing they had no control over it and that they are so young.
