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Quick Background:

• Firefighter / EMT (7 years)
• IT and cybersecurity professional
• Developer of fire service operational tools and systems
• Experience in software development, networking, and digital forensics
• Degrees in Cyber Operations, Software Development, Fire Science, and Fire Administration
• Focused on building practical technology solutions for the fire service

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Summary & Introduction: My name is Steve. I grew up in central Minnesota and attended a significant amount of school on academic scholarships. Along the way I gained extensive life experience working in construction, IT, security, digital forensics, mechanics, and several other technical fields before eventually discovering what I truly love: Fire & EMS. I began in the fire service as a volunteer firefighter to “get my feet wet,” and eventually transitioned to a career department where I could focus more seriously on developing my EMS skills and improving my operational abilities. Today I continue to work on refining my skills, moving beyond the basics, and finding opportunities to work alongside high-quality individuals who I can learn from. My hope is that as I grow in the profession, I will be able to pass along what I learn to the next generation of problem solvers in the fire service.

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History & Education: I entered the professional workforce around the same time the United States decided everyone could — and should — become a programmer. While I do not claim to be an exceptional software engineer, I started out writing relatively simple programs and eventually built and contributed to large-scale enterprise applications used across the United States, many of which are freely available. Although I enjoyed software development, I struggled for a long time with determining what I truly wanted to do with my life. Growing up with limited financial resources also made it difficult to see a clear path forward. I performed well academically and attended St. Cloud Technical & Community College while still in high school through the PSEO program. I also tested out of roughly 30 college credits using DSST and CLEP exams. While continuing to build my mostly self-taught IT career, I attended multiple institutions and eventually completed the majority of my coursework at Dakota State University, originally planning to pursue a role within the Department of Defense or the FBI. Dakota State was — and still is — a highly respected institution for its Cyber Operations programs, and during my time there I completed multiple degrees, including:

• Network Security & Server Administration
• General Studies with an emphasis on mathematics, science, and technology
• Software Development
• Cyber Operations with a Computer Forensics minor
• B.G.S. in Health, Social Science, and Technology
• A.S. in Fire Science @ CSU
• B.S. in Fire Administration @ CSU
• Began two master's programs (Information Technology and Public Administration) @ CSU
• Currently considering either a mathematics degree or a master's degree in Homeland Security

Around the time I was completing my second or third degree, I began to feel that nothing I was doing had any real sense of purpose. While I occasionally considered leaving IT to become an educator, I was initially concerned about the financial impact of doing so. One day, while I was running cables at work, a coworker I had occasionally worked with had a pager on his belt go off. He quickly excused himself and ran out the door. Later, when he returned, he unknowingly changed my life.

Introduction to the Fire Service:

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When he returned, he explained that he was a volunteer firefighter for the city of Waite Park and that they had been dispatched to a car accident. We talked for a short time about how the volunteer (paid-on-call) fire service functioned, and he mentioned some frustrations with the physical capabilities of certain members. He encouraged me to look into joining the department, and I did exactly that. Not long afterward I joined the Waite Park Fire Department and quickly discovered something I had been missing — a purpose greater than myself.

While I plan to write much more about this in the future, I originally had no intention of pursuing a full-time career in the fire service. However, I quickly became frustrated with the lack of professionalism and operational capability displayed by a few individuals. This is not to say that volunteers lack professionalism — far from it. It simply means that a few individuals at that specific department did not represent the professionalism that others clearly demonstrated. Several of the paid-on-call members were also career firefighters and were incredibly patient and supportive as I tried to learn the ropes of the fire service. I quickly realized that, like most people, I tend to mirror the people I spend the most time with — and I wanted to mirror those individuals. I enrolled in an EMT course on my own and began studying the fire service beyond the minimum Firefighter I & II requirements for my department. I still had reservations, particularly about physical ability, stamina, and the financial tradeoffs of leaving IT. Frankly, IT can be an excessively overpaid field, while the fire service has historically offered much more modest compensation.

POC to Career Transition:

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After applying to several departments, I was fortunate enough to complete a ride-along with the Cloquet Area Fire District and interview shortly afterward. While I was initially hesitant about relocating so far from home, the department was extremely welcoming. The members assigned to show me around both during my ride-along and prior to my hiring were excellent firefighters and outstanding members of the community. At the time, I had held my EMT-B license for about a year but had very little practical EMS experience. Because I completed my EMT program during the start of COVID, I was not allowed to participate in ride-alongs or clinical shadowing and was allowed to test without any real patient contact. Originally I viewed EMS as something you had to do in order to be allowed to do fire. However, I quickly discovered that I enjoyed EMS just as much — and sometimes even more — than the fire side. Don't get me wrong: if I have to choose between a routine transfer and a working structure fire, I will take the structure fire every time. However, EMS provides a unique opportunity to connect with people in ways that the fire side often does not. The human element of EMS fascinates me — not just the medical aspects, but also the sociology and human dynamics surrounding how modern society interacts with the 911 system.

Problem Solving & Experience:

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One of the major attractions of the Cloquet Area Fire District was that the department was small and faced many operational challenges and budget constraints. When I first started, the only reliable way we knew a call had come in was through traditional 700 MHz pagers, which were unreliable in many rural areas. It was common for dispatch to call the station — or even personal cell phones — to ensure someone had received the call. After completing probation, we began introducing several technological improvements to help solve operational problems. One of those projects — the station alerting system — is documented on this site. Commercial station alerting hardware was extremely expensive, but with some engineering work I built a functional prototype. After demonstrating the prototype, members of the department — many without technical backgrounds — helped design and assemble the final system. Today the CAFD operates a fully functional station alerting system featuring ramping red lights, soft alert tones, and clear audio notifications for incoming calls. We also installed reader boards, restored previously non-functional CAD systems, and worked closely with the training and safety officer to improve station tasks, inventory tracking, truck checks, and SCBA maintenance. One of those tools — the SCBA inspection program — is also available on this site.

A Path Forward:

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Although I greatly enjoyed my time at the CAFD, it eventually became clear that there would be limited career mobility within such a small department. While I strongly believe that mastering the fundamentals is one of the most important responsibilities a firefighter has, the geographic location and high turnover rate limited opportunities for further skill development and higher levels of medical licensure. Combined with the cost of living, relatively low wages, and a three-hour commute, I ultimately made the difficult decision to leave. My goal now is to find a fire department that provides transport EMS and supports both new firefighters and experienced members in continuing to grow their skills. In the meantime, I hope to use my unique background in both fire service and technology to continue improving the fire service as a whole. This includes building tools, documenting solutions, conducting research, and helping create pathways for less traditional applicants to enter the fire service.