“You never know what the next second will bring when you’re on duty. That anticipation is one of the most stressful parts of the job.”

Brad Richardson is a Captain/Paramedic at Fernandina Beach Fire Department (FBFD) in northeast Florida. He began his 16-year career at FBFD because he wanted to help others and support the community that he and his family lived in. His favorite aspects of the job are the camaraderie and the opportunity to help people every day he goes to work.

Captain Richardson is also the father of one of EaseAlert’s co-founders, Blake. One of Brad’s favorite things to do outside of work is spending time with family including his two sons, Blake and Kyle, and his wife Kim. Kyle is a third-year infielder for the Jacksonville University baseball team and he plans to become a firefighter after graduating college.

His favorite leaders are his dad and Colin Powell – retired four-star general in the U.S. Army. and former U.S. National Security Advisor. His dad, Steve, taught him life lessons that he has used to become the leader he is today.

Brad wants you to know that nothing is “normal” about a “normal day at work” as a firefighter. He stated,

“You never know what the next second will bring when you’re on duty. That anticipation is one of the most stressful parts of the job.“

He encourages those who are new to firefighting to never lose sight of their motivation as a firefighter and to lean on their colleagues when they need help.