Meet Firefighter/EMT Henry Gore

Where are you stationed?

Fire Station 11 (Morgan Way) on the 'B' shift

What do you like about your station and/or the territory?

Currently, I am assigned to Station 11 on the far northeast side of the city, which has a very large and unique response area. The territory covered includes major highways, rural and urban areas, areas with hydrants and without hydrants, and industrial and manufacturing facilities, all of which make it a very exciting and challenging place to work.

What was your first memorable experience with a firefighter or paramedic?

While I don't have any family in the fire service, I was fortunate enough to have lots of positive experiences with the fire service at a young age. Growing up near Station 4, some of my favorite childhood memories were station visits, which undoubtedly inspired and led me to where I am today. Now that I work for the MFD, whenever I interact with the public, I remember how much of an impact it had on me as a child and I try to inspire others.

What was your career prior to MFD? How have your skills and knowledge from your past experiences come in handy at the MFD?

Before coming to MFD, I worked as a paramedic for Fitch-Rona EMS and before that, various other EMS services. While I did not have any firefighting experience coming to MFD, I think my skills as a critical thinker and the ability to talk to patients have transferred well. Aside from emergency medical care, one of the biggest things I now realize I gained was a strong understanding of how the rest of Dane County fire and EMS operates, which has come in handy when we go on mutual aid calls outside the city of Madison.

What do you do when you're not working at MFD?

When I'm not working at the fire station, I spend most of my time outside in and around the city. I live on a hobby farm outside of Madison where I have a donkey, goats, peacocks and ducks, all of which keep me occupied with chores. Madison and the surrounding area have so much to offer in terms of recreation, dining, and events that there is rarely a dull moment, and I enjoy engaging with everything the area has to offer.