PULSE Magazine | May 2019 Issue

Meet-A-Medic: Jacinda Thurmon, Medic-Communications

What inspired you to become a medic/What attracted you to this career choice? I was inspired to become an EMT by my grand- mother. I originally wanted to be a teacher, but that all changed when I moved to New Mexico to live with her. She was a volunteer firefighter and former EMT with our local department in Angel Fire, New Mexico. She convinced me to go to one training with her to see how I liked it, and after that, I was hooked. I instantly fell in love with the fire department and EMS. I’ve always wanted to help people somehow, and this field was an exciting way for me to do it. My grandmother helped me through all of my training and even my EMT-Basic course. I also was inspired by the amazing EMTs and Medics that I learned from during my first few years as a volunteer firefighter. How long have you been with ATCEMS and what motivated you to work here? I have been with Austin for a year and a half. I have always viewed Austin as an amazing depart- ment and was impressed by the reputation the department had. I set a goal for myself to get on with ATCEMS when I was first starting out in my career. I have worked as a volunteer, in an urgent care, on an ambulance, and I even worked with ski patrol. I had never considered a job in Communications, but I thought it would be good to see another side of EMS that I hadn’t before. I am so grateful I did, too. The experience I have gained in Communications has changed my perspective on 911 call-takers and dispatchers completely. D Shift Family

I’m Jacinda Thurmon, currently working in Communications for ATCEMS as a Medic. I was born and raised in Texas, but started my career in New Mexico in 2016. I was a volunteer firefighter and worked for AMR before coming back to Texas and continuing my career in EMS in my native state. I spend most of my time cracking jokes with my friends, driving around, and shopping. Where are you from originally and what brought you to Austin? I am originally from Montgomery, TX, but I grew up in Copperas Cove, TX, right outside of Fort Hood. I was close to the city growing up, so I spent a lot of time in Austin and absolutely fell in love with it. After high school, I moved to New Mexico, which is where I began volunteering with a local fire department and where I became an EMT. I became homesick after a few years and had always dreamed of working in Austin, so I gave it a shot and applied. Lucky enough for me, those trips from Albuquerque to Austin during the hiring process paid off! Then: A Volunteer Firefighter

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