Page 4 - East County Leader January 2014

SPOTLIGHT

east county leader

Advancing into areas where others fear to go

Evan Jarvis has a passion for helping the

lost or injured as a ireighter/paramedic

and search and rescue volunteer

Story by Anne Endicott
Explorer Program as a freshman at
SHS. Originally, he set his sights on

Young people growing up in a becoming a rescue swimmer with

small community oten choose a the US Coast Guard. But by his ju-
profession that will provide them nior year, Jarvis was plagued with

with a way out of their hometown.
knee injuries from sports and real-
But sometimes, a young person ized his acceptance into the coast

follows the path that leads them guard program would be question-
back to serve the village where they able.

were raised.
“I decided then to look into
“I grew up watching the ire de- ire science,” he said. “It had always

partment and saw how they helped been around me, so it just seemed
people,” said Evan Jarvis, a ire- like a natural thing to do.”

ighter/paramedic with Hoodland Ater high school, Jarvis at-
Fire Department. “I’ve known these tended Central Oregon Community

people all my life, so this is where I College in Bend, aiming for a two-
wanted to be. I like to make people year degree in ire science. He was

smile, so I try to bring them the best assigned to the Sisters/Camp Sher-
I can.”
man Fire Department, on a work/

Jarvis, 24, is a tall drink of wa- study-style arrangement.
ter with a youthful enthusiasm that “I lived at the station house

is both inspiring and contagious. and my tuition and books were all
He is passionate in his work with paid for,” he said. “I was working

Hoodland Fire in Welches, but he for them and going to school at the
is equally as animated and driven same time. It was awesome because

about being part of the Paciic I learn by touching and I could ap-
Northwest Mountain Search and ply what I was learning in school

Rescue Team.
with the job.”
For Jarvis, helping others in life Jarvis completed his degree,

or death circumstances is a calling ending his quest to become a ire-
ighter/EMT. But he soon found
he embraces.
Born and raised in Welches, himself frustrated by the limitations
in assistance he could provide as an
Jarvis is the middle of three chil-
dren born to a school teacher and EMT.
“At irst, I wanted to just be a
Hoodland volunteer ireighter. He co
attended Welches Elementary and ireighter because I could pull a nt
hose and have fun,” he said, laugh- inu
Middle School, where his mother ed
taught, graduating from Sandy ing. “But as an EMT, I could only do o
so much and then, I had to wait for n
High School in 2007.
ne
Like his siblings before and af- a paramedic.”
xt
As a firefighter/EMT, Jarvis found he could provide limited assistance to those in need Jarvis applied for and was ac-
p
before seeking the skills of a paramedic. In 2012, he received his paramedic certification ter him, Jarvis joined the Boy Scout
ag
e
from Kenai Peninsula College in Soldotna, Alaska. OUTLOOK PHOTO: JIM CLARK
4
december 2013