Meet Firefighter/EMT Trammell Lynes

Where are you stationed?
Station 1 (W. Dayton Street) on the ‘A’ shift.

Why did you want to pursue this career?
I always wanted to have a career where I was active in the community and able to give back to people. I think firefighting gives you a special opportunity to be able to do that.

Why did you want to work with Madison Fire?
Madison gives you a special opportunity that other department don’t, particularly with the special teams, and that was very enticing to me. Plus, I always loved the energy of the city. I’ve been here for multiple Badger games, CrossFit Games, and concerts, and I’ve always liked the energy of the city.

People may not realize we get to work these events as a firefighter/EMT or paramedic. The opportunity to work a Badger football game and stand on the field and get paid to be there is a pretty big opportunity. I think a lot of people would do that for free, or pay to go to those games, but we have the unique opportunity to go and work at them. 

What’s something you enjoy about the territory you serve?
This territory is very unique because we have all the Lake Rescue equipment here. It gives you the opportunity to practice with that and serve the community in a unique way. It’s also a busy area, being downtown and on the campus. There’s a lot of diversity when it comes to calls and a lot of different ways you can be out in the community making a difference.

What has been the most rewarding part of your experience so far?
Graduation the Recruit Academy with my fellow Class 60 classmates. Having spent five months together, getting super close as a class, having that big celebration at Monona Terrace, and walking across the stage together was really, really cool. That’s probably the most memorable thing I’ve done so far.

What advice would you give to someone hoping to join the MFD?
Apply! Then while you are working through the application process, go get your EMT license and start working for a private ambulance company. That’s how I started. This job is so dominantly EMS— 70-80% of the calls are EMS. Joining a private ambulance company is an easy way to get into that field and get a large volume of experience in a short period of time. That would be a good indicator of whether you like this job, because most of the job is EMS.

Feel free to share any other stories or "fun facts" about yourself!
I grew up in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, and I’m a Canadian citizen. I’m the first non-U.S. citizen to be hired to the MFD since the citizenship requirement was removed in 2022. I moved here for college and met my wife here. We have a son and a little boy on the way in August.