Meet Firefighter/EMT Zach Yozamp

Where are you stationed?
I am currently assigned to Station 3 (Williamson Street) on the 'B' shift.

Why did you want to pursue this career?
Like most firefighters, I chose this profession because I wanted to help people.  It’s an enormous responsibility to be the one answering the call when someone needs help. But that provides us with the unique opportunity to truly impact the lives of those in our community in a positive way. Firefighting also piqued my interest because of the challenge it provides on a daily basis. At no point are you done training or learning. You never know what the next call might hold, so the best way to prepare for the unknown is to continue to hone our skills.

Why did you want to work in Madison, for the Madison Fire Department?
I was lucky enough to call Madison home for a majority of my childhood. Being able to serve my community through MFD is a true honor and something I take great pride in. Additionally, this department draws a lot of nationwide attention as one of the premier departments to work for. MFD is extremely innovative and constantly looking for ways to improve, which means we are at the forefront for many new aspects being implemented into the field. Whether that’s new types of apparatus or additional medications our paramedics administer, it’s all in an effort to improve the care we provide our community. This mentality being present throughout our organization is a huge draw to working on this department.

Tell us something you enjoy about the territory you serve.
Station 3 has an extremely unique territory. This location provides us with an incredibly diverse population, thus a very diverse set of calls. We could be called for anything from a high-rise fire to a water rescue and everything in between.

What advice would you give to someone hoping to join the MFD?
My advice would be to reach out to people on the job. We have over 400 firefighters in our department and no two backgrounds are the same. Everyone has a different path of how they made it to MFD, and getting to know what worked for other people will help guide you in the right direction.