Biography of Firefighter Jeff

 

Jeff has been a member of Waterloo Fire Rescue since 1990. He is a firefighter EMT-B and has been an instructor for the Fire PALS program for the past eight years.

When asked why he became a firefighter Jeff had this to say, “My dad was a fireman and so were a lot of his friends. They were my early influences. They were the “good guys” and my heroes.Who could ask for better role models?”

Jeff feels passionate about teaching kids the proper skills to keep them safe from injuries. He said that the best thing about teaching Fire PALS is the students.

“The students are awesome and quick studies. The program itself is excellent and it changes with technology and community needs,” he said.

Jeff is committed to delivering life safety lessons to the children of Black Hawk County. His direct approach in the classroom helps the students realize the importance of fire prevention and life safety.

“I’ve responded to calls where kids have been involved. It is heartbreaking. In the classroom, I feel it is okay to show a little emotion when talking about the devastating affects of fire. I do everything I can to make sure that kids understand that there are consequences for choices and I make sure that they not only have the skills to protect themselves from fire and injuries but that they have practiced them.”

 The most important thing that he wants kids to learn is to prevent accidents and live safe by planning ahead and talking with family.

In his free time Jeff enjoys home remodeling, painting, rebuilding motorcycles and spending time with his daughter.