Certified first responder

Keith Hallmark is a firefighter who knows the struggles life as a first responder can put on the family. When he was 20 years old, Hallmark began his career as a firefighter. He attended fire school at Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service where he became certified with the Texas Commission on Fire Protection. He said that at 20 years old he liked the work schedule of a firefighter. From there, his career grew. Hallmark is now an instructor, fire investigator, firefighter, hazardous materials technician and EMT for the San Antonio Fire Department in San Antonio, Texas. Loving his job and making his family happy simultaneously can sometimes be difficult. “I know it’s hard on my family with me being gone a lot and in dangerous situations during almost every shift,” he said. Hallmark said…

Abstract First Responders often face life and death situations. The public expectation is that when they arrive on scene these men and women will be able to take quick action and resolve the issue at hand. More often than not First Responders are armed with little or no information prior to arriving at a scene. Once there they take fast and reasonable steps to control the situation. However, the public sometimes do not understand the outcome of such calls. The reality is that a person might die…

World Trade Center. This incident had all the factor of terrorism detailed in the FBI definition. Terrorist attacks are associated with numerous types of risks for emergency responders since they are likely to be the ones who first to discover and witness the terrorist incident. Safety is most important. If the first responders become incapacitated or injured, then they cannot help others, but takes resources away from those who need help (Emergency Response to Terrorism Self-Study, 1999). …

The Call That Changed My Life I was 18 Years Old, brand new on Groveland Fire Department with only a few months of experience, I recently graduated High School, I recount a call that has forever changed who I was and made me into who I aspire to be. What you’re about to read will take you not only through my eyes, but my choices, my compassion & commitment to helping others, and the remorse that follows first responders with tragic events that the public rarely sees, knowing that despite you…

During tragedy we focus on what needs to done to save others. First responders are the very first people we see during a very traumatic and stressful time. However, first responders see communities and people in very crude situations. Even though this is their job to respond to traumatic events in communities and other people’s lives, it does not mean they are mentally immune to trauma. It is very important to monitor the mental health of first responders to keep them emotionally stable and for…

personnel to send out. These personnel are called first responders. First responders come in contact with a variety of different incidents. They are trained to use systems for identification of different hazardous materials and possible threats and outcomes of those threats as well as the risks identified with the materials, threats, and outcomes. We have all been on the highway and seen a semi with a tanker trailer attached. You have probably even noticed the different placards or signs on the…

First responders (police officers, firefighters, paramedics) are not intrinsically mobile. They have traditionally relied on brick and mortar institutions as the brains of their operations and only left these buildings to respond to emergencies. Radios were, and continue to be, the primary source of communication; relaying information from computing resources found within the office to officers in the field. However, the evolution of mobile technology has increased the autonomy of…

Introduction of the Problem Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is a mental health disorder that occurs from “exposure to actual or threatened death, serious injury or sexual violation.” (McCauley 2015) First Responders include police officer, firefighters and EMS workers. They respond to traumatic events daily such as rapes, murders, domestic violence cases, robberies, car accidents, hostage situations and industrial explosions. They are called to help people in their worst moments. They are…

“Paramedics are taught not to risk their lives after mass shootings. They should.,” gives his opinion on paramedics not being allowed to enter a crime scene in which could potentially put their lives in danger. Who is Kevin Hazzard and why is his opinion relevant? First off, Hazzard was a paramedic himself for about ten years. In his article, he refers back to incidents during his career where it was extremely difficult to not put his own life in danger while also trying to save the victims…

intended to help responders identify the specific material hazards and inform them of how to keep not only themselves but the public as well safe. This book is helpful during the initial response phase, which is the period of time when first responders arrive on the scene and determine the correct course of action to secure the area once it has been determined that there is a risk due to the materials being transported. This…