Communications (5) Apply Communications filter.Safety and Security (7) Apply Safety and Security filter.Public Works (7) Apply Public Works filter.Clerical/Administrative Support (7) Apply Clerical/Administrative Support filter.Engineering (9) Apply Engineering filter.Public Safety Dispatch (17) Apply Public Safety Dispatch filter.Law Enforcement (27) Apply Law Enforcement filter."My mission now is to try and pay it forward," Perez said. Perez said he wants help those interested in the fire service or EMS to cultivate and focus those interests. "It's kind of in the family," Perez said. His wife, Moria Perez, is a lieutenant with the Manchester Fire Department. Now, Perez has five children of his own, one of who is a captain with New Haven's fire department and three in the medical sector. His mother and father died from lung cancer when he was in his late 20s, but he said he's still close with his brothers and sisters. Perez said he grew up in Bridgeport in a "tough neighborhood," with a low-income but close-knit family that moved from Puerto Rico around the late 1960s and early '70s. "It kind of reminds me of people like me." "I remember how I grew up, that's why I like teaching at Capital Community College," Perez said. Perez said he has taught at universities since 1995, including at Capital Community College. Most recently, Perez completed a doctorate in education from the University of Hartford in 2019. Perez said he used his veteran benefits to help pay for school, achieving a number of degrees and certifications. Navy in 2001 on a ship during Operations Noble Eagle and Enduring Freedom, and in 2003 serving in a medic role alongside Marines in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Perez said during his employment at East Hartford, he was deployed with the U.S. Ned Lamont appointed Perez to the state Commission on Fire Prevention and Control, the same year he received the Connecticut Fire Department Instructor Association's Instructor of the Year award. "I have a bunch of designations and credentials," Perez said. Perez said he wears many hats and has worn many more throughout his career, including college professor, state commissioner, and veteran. 58, said he isn't going anywhere for now, but plans to build a house on his in-laws' ranch in Montana for when he wraps his career up. "The running joke with my wife is, maybe the message is 'you can retire soon,'" he said with a laugh. "You normally don't get chosen until you're retired or you're not around anymore," Perez said. Perez said he was away from Connecticut when the news of his nomination broke in January, and he first heard from a phone call from a colleague. "They are a capable organization and the community should be proud of him," Walsh said. Walsh said Perez's recognition is a reflection on the East Hartford Fire Department, where Perez held nearly every position during his career. "Without an appointment or anything, Will took us on a tour of the safety complex on the fire side to try and convince him." "I remember I had a young cadet who wasn't sure what they wanted to do," Walsh said. Walsh said he worked side by side with Perez while serving as the East Hartford's finance director, and said he is demonstrative of the fire service. Perez ultimately signed on with UConn as its fire chief later in 2018, where he continues to serve to this day. Mayor Mike Walsh said Perez was offered the job of fire chief in 2008 under then-Mayor Melody Currey, but the parties couldn't agree on a contract.
Perez served as East Hartford's interim chief for a short period before the town hired former Fire Chief John Oates, ultimately retiring as an assistant fire chief in 2018. He worked his way up to supervisor of operations before signing on with East Hartford as a firefighter paramedic in 1993, the beginning of a 25-year career with the department. Perez earned an associate degree in paramedic sciences from Capital Community College in Hartford and became a paramedic with the Bridgeport Fire Department in 1990. In April, Perez was inducted into the Connecticut Firefighters Association's Hall of Fame, one of only a few recognized while actively serving in a fire department. Perez said after connecting with him, he pivoted away from his car mechanic trade and took the necessary training to join the Bridgeport Fire Department as an EMT in 1987. Perez said he fell in love with the job, which turned into a lifelong career. Perez said he later found out his friend's stepfather was one of the EMTs who responded to the scene.
0 kommentar(er)
