I am the Public Information Officer for South Metro Fire Rescue, located along the southern edge of Denver, Colorado.  SMFR is a paid organization that covers 179 square miles with 17 firehouses split into 3 Battalions.  SMFR Operates 13 Engine Companies, 4 Tower Ladders, 10 Medic Units, 9 Brush Trucks, 6 Water Tenders, 1 Heavy Rescue, 1 Collapse Unit, 1 Haz-Mat, 1 Decon Unit, 1 Dive Rescue, 1 Tracked Snow Vehicle and numerous other support vehicles.

I grew up in the fire district I work for and often visited the stations as a child.  At 14 years old I joined the Castle Rock Fire Rescue Explorer Program, became a Volunteer Firefighter with Franktown Fire Protection District at 17 years old and full time Dispatcher with Littleton Fire Rescue when I was 19.  In 2006 I started my career at South Metro (MetCom 911) and ascended through the ranks of Dispatcher, Lead Dispatcher, Shift Supervisor and Operations Manager.  After several years as an on-call PIO was appointed to the fulltime role in early 2017.

I have been a fire scene and severe weather photographer since 2004 and started the website 5280fire.com which features incidents and apparatus photo galleries from around Colorado.  My work has been published in FireEngineering, Firehouse, FireRescue and Fire Apparatus Journal magazines as well as textbooks and calendars.