Page 5 - East County Leader January 2014

SPOTLIGHT

east county leader

cepted into the OIT/OHSU paramedic important, but sometimes, it takes a lot
co
program in Sherwood. It was a little too of people to do that.”
nti
close to home, he said, and worried that Members of search and rescue nu
ed
that could present distractions to his teams are all volunteers and are oten fr
academic focus.
dispatched from all corners of the tri- om

So in 2011, Jarvis packed his belong- county area. Each team carries a level of pre
ings and headed of to Soldotna, Alaska, expertise and training meant to ensure a vi
ou
for a yearlong paramedic program at seamless process, from locating the lost s
Kenai Peninsula College. hough Jarvis individual or party, to bringing them to pa
ge
had traveled to Alaska prior to enrolling the staging area for treatment and/or
in school, it didn’t take long to realize he transport.

was no longer in familiar surroundings.
Common perception is that search
“My irst day up there, the school and rescue teams are only rallied for

went into lock down because a brown dangerous terrain situations. Not true,
bear wandered through the school area,” Jarvis said, adding that any successful

he said, laughing. “hat was my irst cul- search is intensely rewarding.
ture shock — they didn’t lock schools “We’re not just out in the woods,”

down because of guns, it was bears!”
Jarvis said. “Search and rescue teams are
Ater receiving his paramedic certi- activated anywhere in the county. If your

ication, Jarvis returned home and took grandpa goes missing — I’ve gone door-
a part-time line position with Hoodland to-door looking for a dementia patient.
Going into places and areas where most people flee is just in a day’s work for
Fire. While he awaits a full-time position, It’s not just hunters and hikers who get Evan Jarvis. The 24-year old firefighter/paramedic also is a volunteer with
he splits his time between Hoodland and lost. But when you ind people, it’s the Pacific Northwest Mountain Search and Rescue. OUTLOOK PHOTO: JIM CLARK

Warrenton, on the Oregon Coast, where most thrilling feeling. Even if we ind
he serves as a part-time paramedic for someone who isn’t alive, being able to

Medix Ambulance Services, covering a return them to their family is satisfying.”
large area of Clatsop County.
hough Jarvis plans to acquire ad-

Jarvis admits to a lifelong love afair ditional technical training with Paciic
with the outdoors. He is an avid hiker, Northwest Mountain Search and Rescue,

skier and snow shoer, but also recog- at his core, he is still a ireighter. And in
nizes the dangers inherent to outdoor his own quest for knowledge, he recently

recreation.
found himself back in the classroom.
Earlier this summer, he joined Pacif- “My sister is student teaching in

ic Northwest Search and Rescue, as a way Welches, so I’ve been going to school to
to marry his love of the outdoors and talk about ire safety with the kids,” Jar-

passion for helping others. His team is vis said, laughing. “I really like the public
responsible for providing ground search education part of the ire service. I love

assistance to those with more technical talking to the kids and answering their
training.
questions.”

“If we can walk to it, we can do it,”
he said. “But we’re not mountaineers. We

don’t carry crampons and ice picks. Our
basic goal is to get you out because that’s

"I grew up watching the fire department and saw

how they helped people. I've known these people

all my life,so this is where I wanted to be."

EVAN JARVIS

firefighter/paramedic with Hoodland Fire Department

5
december 2013