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Where do you see yourself in 10 years?<br />
This is a hard question, too, because I never<br />
thought I would be where I am now. I made a<br />
promise to my guys here that I would stay 8 years.<br />
They reminded me of this promise the other day<br />
when I was offered a contract job at a training event<br />
when a colleague jokingly mentioned coming to<br />
work for them. One of the firefighters said, “You<br />
made a promise to us and that you’d stay a minimum<br />
of 8 years so you need to keep you word.” As far as<br />
ten years? I see great things happening with Richland<br />
Fire Department and the city. We are striving to be<br />
the best, and we are headed in the right direction.<br />
Each member is willing to pull their weight and have<br />
gotten on board in our vision. Because I see the true<br />
potential of our department and fully understand the<br />
direction we all want to go, I will be here in Richland<br />
working for the very best firefighters in the very best<br />
fire department.<br />
If you could give one piece of advice to a young<br />
person, what would it be?<br />
Life is about being well balanced. Be kind but do<br />
not let people abuse you. Trust, but do not be deceived.<br />
Be content but never stop improving yourself, no<br />
matter what life throws at you.<br />
Find passion in something you love to do. Work<br />
is a big part of our lives; therefore, we need to find<br />
something we truly have passion for. When this<br />
happens, you really look forward to going to work.<br />
I cannot believe this is my 24th year. I love serving<br />
others and enjoy every minute of the day in the fire<br />
service. That is why my response to someone who<br />
asks me how I am doing; I am living the dream and<br />
getting paid for it.<br />
We only get one shot in life; therefore, we need<br />
to make something great of every day of our lives.<br />
I can’t think of doing anything greater than serving<br />
in the fire service helping people in their greatest<br />
time of need.<br />
Also, I would share this. Be careful of what you put<br />
in your mind and stay positive. I grew up on a farm<br />
and learned a whole lot about life. We would cultivate<br />
the land. No matter what was planted, we reaped what<br />
we sowed. On the other hand, if we would have planted<br />
Morning Glory there it would have grown, as well.<br />
Morning Glory is poisonous and would take over the<br />
garden if we did not cut it out. Our minds are like the<br />
fertile soil. Whatever we place in our minds, we will<br />
produce just that. Then, we become the by-product<br />
of what we have taken in and allowed to enter our<br />
brain. That is why I stay so motivated and positive.<br />
We should not allow negativity get rooted in our<br />
thoughts.<br />
Negative people and circumstances are like a<br />
cancer. Once it takes hold, it will consume you, and<br />
you will become negative with a poor attitude. We<br />
should not permit negative people or circumstances<br />
to affect us. That is just too much power to give away.<br />
If we allow these negative situations and individuals<br />
to control us, we become a slave for something that<br />
will not be there long term. I cannot see why anyone<br />
relinquishes their power for any reason. We are the<br />
cultivators of our own lives, and we should cultivate<br />
something spectacular. God said we are created<br />
unique, one of a kind and to never be duplicated.<br />
Therefore, we need to harness the idiosyncrasies and<br />
construct great works.<br />
What is your favorite childhood memory?<br />
I would have to say growing up in the country on a<br />
farm. At that time, I hated it every day. We cultivated<br />
10 acers and had chickens and cows. My dad worked<br />
us like Hebrew slaves every day. During that era, the<br />
communities were very close. We all knew each<br />
other, and the community would come together to<br />
help each other during hardships. My dad believed<br />
in that theory. He would take us over to other folks’<br />
houses to work the gardens, hay fields, and cattle.<br />
Once I remember dad taking me to an elderly<br />
lady’s house. Her husband had died and dad told<br />
me to stay there until she figured out what to do with<br />
the farm. I was instructed to run the farm in the<br />
meantime. I would get up around 4:30 every morning<br />
and she would already be up with my breakfast made<br />
and a cup of hot coffee waiting on me. After eating,<br />
I would go out to feed the cows, horses, and chickens.<br />
This was all before I got on the school bus headed to<br />
school. Later that afternoon, I would do the same<br />
thing and work the fields or cut wood for the winter.<br />
When all of this was completed, I would get a shower<br />
and do my homework before bed. The next morning<br />
was a repeat like the movie “Groundhog Day.” I did<br />
this for about 2 months.<br />
Looking back on this time in my life, I understand<br />
why my dad did all of this. He was raising men, not<br />
boys. I learned so much about life on the farm, just<br />
like cultivating our minds. I guess this is why I enjoy<br />
being a firefighter. I am helping others and serving<br />
my community.<br />
What is the biggest mistake you think young<br />
people make today?<br />
Most would say not going to college. However,<br />
college does not make the person. The biggest<br />
mistake I see with today’s generation is their attitude<br />
thinking the world owes them something, like<br />
self-entitlement. I have my own opinion why this is<br />
taking place, but I can assure them the world does<br />
not owe anyone anything, and it sure as heck does<br />
not care what they think they deserve. With this<br />
sense of entitlement, this generation believes they<br />
do not have to work to get things they want/need.<br />
To them, the entitlement attitude is just “give” it to<br />
me, like working for $15.00/hr.<br />
I was a paramedic and didn’t make that much,<br />
and I was responsible for narcotics and peoples’ lives.<br />
Hard work makes you appreciate the things you<br />
purchase and own. It also builds your self-esteem,<br />
and you have gratitude.<br />
What is your favorite thing about the<br />
City of Richland?<br />
The very first thing I noticed about this great city<br />
is it’s a very tight-knit community with the same<br />
closeness I grew up on. Everyone has welcomed me<br />
with open arms and treats me as if I have always<br />
lived here. This is comforting, coming from the<br />
outside. It is like there are no strangers. People speak<br />
to you and are friendly.<br />
What is your favorite thing about<br />
<strong>Rankin</strong> County?<br />
<strong>Rankin</strong> County has everything you need to raise<br />
a family. It has the conveniences of metropolitan<br />
lifestyle, yet small-town feel. Other than going on<br />
vacation, there is pretty much everything you want<br />
or need right here, all within driving distance.<br />
<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Rankin</strong> • 69
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