Looking for a group of people to be a part of while also giving back to others, Nick Sturgis joined Southampton Fire Company as a 14-year-old junior firefighter.

“Being a junior really gave me an open eye into the field of public safety,” said Nick, now 22. “Joining the fire company at a young age gave me a path in life and really made me set goals and mature before a lot of my peers.”

Southampton Fire Company provides its volunteers with training and gear. After expressing interest in working in emergency services as a career, Southampton provided Nick with training to become an EMT. Later, Nick went through paramedic school and currently works full-time as a paramedic at Central Bucks Emergency Medical Services.

At Southampton, Nick serves as a firefighter and EMS coordinator, and assists on the Fire Prevention, Recruitment and Fund Drive committees. He sees many parallels between the skills he uses as a volunteer firefighter and in his career, including scene management, communication, and keeping calm in stressful situations. Emergency calls often involve both fire and EMS, such as car accidents.

“Having the edge and dual-knowledge of both sides of the field has helped being on a fire truck and on a medic unit,” said Nick.

One of his favorite parts about volunteering is the sense of community.

“We have the chance every day to positively impact the community,” said Nick. “The fire house is truly a second home. You will grow with the other members and have amazing opportunities along the way.”

Overall, Nick is thankful that volunteering led him to a full-time career in EMS and enjoys seeing the positive influence volunteers make in the community.

“Southampton is a collective group of community members that directly impact the wellbeing of our friends and neighbors,” he said.

Learn more about joining Southampton Fire Company at www.JoinSouthamptonFire.org.