By Fiona de Young, Community Relations Manager
First we want to wish a Happy New Year to all our residents! We have so much planned for this year and we hope we can continue to stay connected with you. Keep up with the Fire District on Facebook, Twitter, or Nextdoor @RinconFire, where we share safety tips and answer your questions on Fire Prevention.
Three Rincon Valley firefighters graduated from the Pima Community College Paramedic Program last month. Becoming a paramedic is the highest level of prehospital care and requires rigorous advanced training and coursework. “We are extremely proud of their hard work and dedication and are pleased to provide this quality care to our community,” said Fire Chief Jayme Kahle. They are three of the 46 graduates from agencies all over Southern Arizona: Firefighter Scott O’Halloran, Firefighter Chris Heady, and Firefighter Martin Diaz.
“The program was extremely challenging, especially with the transition from in class learning to remote learning. I really appreciated having Chris and Martin going through the program as well, because we were able to bounce questions off of each other, and even just be an extra sympathetic ear when we needed the soppier. While the program was one of the most difficult things I have done, the feeling of relief and satisfaction when we got the results from our national registry testing is something I will never forget,” O’Halloran said.
A virtual graduation ceremony was hosted by Pima Community College’s Public Safety & Emergency Services Institute to celebrate their accomplishment.
As always, we are available for routine safety checks such as smoke detectors and car seats. If you need help with any general safety concerns, call us at (520) 647-3760. For emergencies, dial 911.
Fiona de Young recently joined the Rincon Valley Fire District as its new Community Relations Manager. In this role, she is responsible for managing the District’s community engagement and media relations. Before joining the District, Fiona worked as an aide to U.S. Senator Martha McSally. She holds a Master’s Degree in Information Studies from the University of Texas at Austin. Fiona loves hiking in the beautiful mountains of Southern Arizona.
