Meet Firefighter/EMT Jake Nelson

Where are you stationed?

Fire Station 3 (Williamson Street) on the ‘B’ shift

What was your career prior to MFD?

Prior to MFD, I was with the Eau Claire Fire Department for about 10 months. Before that, I attended MATC and earned my paramedic license and EMT license, as well as fire training. Prior to that, I had just graduated high school and was working in construction, doing roofing.

How have your skills and knowledge from past jobs come in handy at the MFD?

Working for another fire department, I’m very thankful for the experiences I had gotten there. I was very fortunate to get experience on multiple structure fires and on EMS calls that aren’t seen every day, some at the advanced-life-support level. I’m thankful for that experience, and it makes me a better firefighter for the City of Madison.

The education at MATC, I believe, is the best there is for fire/EMS. At times, I encountered members of the MFD while I was there. Seeing them and learning from them made me want to be a member of the MFD even more.

Working in roofing familiarized me with building construction, the use of power tools, and tools in general, which was helpful.

What are some professional goals you have for yourself?

I’m very excited to be a firefighter/paramedic. I like fire and EMS equally, but I very much enjoy the medical side of the job. It’s very intriguing—I may never see the same call twice, and working as half of a partnership on the ambulance can be very fun. You work very closely with that person, and you can really forge some great friendships because you’re working with them for 24 hours, sometimes many times throughout the night, and you go through some high-stress situations together. That can really bring out the best in each other.

Do you have any family in the EMS or fire services?

Yes, my mother, my father, and my brother. I felt like a member of the Madison Fire Department family for much longer than I’ve been employed here. I’m very grateful for that, and it’s part of why I wanted to give back.

What do you do when you’re not working for MFD?

I enjoy baseball, hunting, and being outdoors.