But how did, how did you set yourself apart and end up becoming a leader, and what did you learn through, you know, being able to become a leader in the EMS system that maybe helps, helped your longevity of your career?

Well, I think first of all, there is no such thing a- as a great leader.

There is a smart person, which I, I'm not always, who surrounds themselves with really good people, okay? So people that really care and people that are willing to take that next step up or willing to be convinced to take the next step up.

So I was really lucky.

When we started and the private service went out of business, Bellingham Fire, which is the biggest provider, had sent nine people to EMT training, so we didn't have zero.

Some of the county fire districts had trained a few people as EMTs.

So when the private goes out of business at 11 o'clock on Thursday morning and thinking, well, they now have the county over the barrel, and they're gonna beg them to come back and give them whatever they want, uh, the county goes, "You know, screw you guys.

Interesting