First Responders by Billings Gazette

HERO CEREMONY Honoring 10 Exceptional First Responders!

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TABLE OF CONTENTS Cactus Anderson

Nick Anderson

Donald “DJ” Blyton

DaryLynne Day

Jared Delaney

Andy Ekblad

Michelle Grider

Ryland Nelson

Andrew O’Toole

Clint Parker 14

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early every moment of our lives, while we’re busy doing something else, first responders are arriving at a scene of an accident, fighting a fire, going to a medical emergency, or putting their own lives at risk. Most of us only think about it when we pass an accident or pull over for flashing red-and-blue lights. But, today we take time to honor some of the finest people in our community.

They have chosen to help serve their communities, rising above just a job description.

We have honored these 10 individuals from Montana, and recognize them for their service. This is hopefully the first of many “First Responders” series which will spotlight those people who literally put their life on the line every time they put on the uniform. We’d also like to thank the sponsors of this section:

the City of Billings, Billings Chamber of Commerce, Graphic Imprints and Rimrock Credit Union.

OUR HEROES To our first reponders, you have our gratitude for being everyday heroes in our community. Thank you, for all you do for us!

October 2019

Cactus Anderson A true teammate TOM HOWARD For The Billings Gazette‌

Figo will be suitably honored. “He’s had a very disciplined life. And out of respect for him, someday it’ll be time to ‌First responders frequently mention the let him have a true retirement,” Anderson importance of teamwork. said. For Stillwater County deputy Cactus Anderson, his canine crime-fighting part- What made you decide to pursue this ner Figo is one of a kind. “Having this guy here, he’s the work- line of work? I can remember wanting to be a deputy horse,” Anderson said. “I’m just the guy on as far back as grade school. I started workthe other end of the leash.” Figo, a 7-year-old Belgian Malinois, is ing in the EMS world back in 2002 and still trained to detect illegal drugs but can also work as a paramedic for the Columbus Fire Department. What really pushed me track humans. Anderson (Cactus is his given name, not into LEO was my EMS career. I got tired of a nickname) worked for the Yellowstone showing up late to the call and only being County Sheriff’s Office for 3-1/2 years be- able to help the people after they were infore he transferred to Stillwater County, jured. I wanted to get on the front end of it largely so that he could have an opportunity and try and help stop the pain and suffering before it even got started. to work with a canine partner. “We’re really lucky. The handler before me did really well at getting him trained,” Have you ever been afraid stepping into said Anderson who said he plans to be a K9 the line of duty? handler for the remainder of his career. “I I believe if anyone tells you they were not will retire with a canine partner. He’s too beneficial to me and too nice of a partner, afraid they are lying. I get scared at times but I have learned to work through it and worth his weight in gold.” In addition to regular patrol duties, An- rely on my training and experience. I have derson and Figo focus on drug interdiction been very lucky in my time in the law enforcement world to have great mentors in for at least one day per week. Figo’s safety is paramount during drug my life. interdictions. “If Figo makes the mistake of getting What do you do to relieve the stress of into the stimulants like meth or cocaine, it these situations? would be my mistake for not keeping him I relieve my stress by working out, safe,” Anderson said. “It would be hard to spending time with the family and taking save his life because these guys metabolize my Harley out for a ride. I always talk tough drugs so much faster than humans do.” situations out with my teammates. I am Meth is often viewed as Montana’s very lucky to have a great team of guys that most serious drug problem, but the opioid epidemic that’s sweeping the country also I work with. poses danger for Montanans. Fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid that’s 80 to 100 What is the biggest misperception times more powerful than morphine, has people have about first responders? been the subject of nationwide publicity. I think people forget that we are just An even more dangerous drug being en- normal people too. We are not robots we countered by law enforcement, is carfent- have feeling too. We as humans will make anil , which is 10,000 times as powerful as mistakes but we try our best every day to morphine. make the right decisions. At 7 years old, Figo might soon be nearing the sunset of his career. Did you ever think about getting out “My intention is to work with him until he can’t any more. This morning, he’s still of this work? I have never thought about getting out of spunky, but after 9-1/2 hours in the car, he this line of work. I will retire doing this line starts to feel it.” When the time for retirement comes, of work. I love what I do.

CASEY PAGE, Billings Gazette‌

Stillwater County Sheriff’s deputy Cactus Anderson and his K9 partner Figo, pictured Friday, October 11, 2019.

What makes someone successful in your line of work?

What was the most rewarding experience you’ve had?

It takes a person with the mindset to Saving a life. I got called to a person who help others, people you don’t even know. was trying to end his life and I was able The undying eagerness to learn and the to show up just as he was taking his last ability to make good quick decisions. breath. This person tried to hang himself by a belt, and I got there just in time to cut him down and get him help. Is it hard to balance your family and

your job?

It is hard to balance family time with What’s the best piece of advice given to work. Especially with me, I have a K9 that I you, and who gave it? spend every day with. But I have an amazI’ve had lots of great advice from people. ing wife that make sure I do things with the I can’t name just one person. My dad raised family and reminds me when I start to work me to be a good man. Sgt. Lester took me too much. under his wing and showed me how to be a great enforcer of drugs and DUI. Deputy Why do you keep doing it? Reyna showed me firsthand how to control Like I said before, I love my job. Where a scene and how to protect myself. Underelse can I spend all my time in the great sheriff Smith drives me to be a better K9 state of Montana, driving around seeing handler every day. This is just a short list of the sights, helping people or upholding the a lot of great people in my life. My wife canlaws? Plus the great command staff at Still- not go without mentioning, she allows me water County Sheriff’s Office gave me a dog to do what I need to do, to come home to her to hang with while doing this. and the kids. October 2019

Nick Anderson A job that will continually push me to be better in every aspect of my life SUE OLP For The Billings Gazette‌ ‌If Nick Anderson isn’t on shift as a firefighter for the Billings Fire Department, he’s busy working as a paramedic or teaching students studying to follow in his footsteps. For Anderson, 33, a native of Lovell, Wyoming, helping others is an important part of his life. His interest in joining a fire department was sparked while on a two-year mission for his church in Las Vegas. Anderson met a captain for the city’s fire department when he and his mission partner helped the man build a fence. They developed a friendship, and the captain, knowing of Anderson’s desire to help others and love of athletics, told him firefighting would be a good fit. After his two-year mission ended, Anderson enrolled in fire science and EMT college classes in Las Vegas. “I really enjoyed learning the material, and especially the hands-on training and live burns,” Anderson said. “I was hooked and never looked at doing anything else.” Since then, he’s worked for the Lockwood Fire Department for five years and the Billings department for the last three. All Billings firefighters are required to train as EMTs, but Anderson decided to go beyond that and complete schooling to be a paramedic, allowing him to provide advanced life support to patients. Eighty percent of the calls the department responds to are medical. Anderson is one of 30 paramedics in the department. He works eight 24-hour shifts a month, with 48 hours off between each shift. He also moonlights for AMR as a paramedic, and he serves as clinical coordinator for the paramedic program at City College at Montana State University Billings. Anderson finds all of it rewarding. “The first time you pull somebody of out a burning building, or just being able to calm down a mom after she’s had

October 2019

a baby,” he said. “It’s been really neat to put all my training, all of my skills to work.” Anderson remembered a time when a family huddled together after members had lost their belongings to a house fire. He walked out of the house carrying the family dog and saw expressions of gratitude, relief and joy on their faces. “It makes the tough stuff worth it,” he said. For stress relief, Anderson enjoys mountain biking, or a meal with his engine company. “A lot of our counseling sessions are around the breakfast table in the morning,” he said. “We talk about the calls we’ve been on.” Regarding the fears connected to his work, Anderson said he feels it more on the medical side than his work as a firefighter. “When I first got cut loose as a paramedic, I’d be on shift constantly worrying about the ‘what ifs,’” Anderson said. “I’d pray all the time for help to know what to do, when to do it, and that I’d be able to provide the best care I could to help.” Now he gets to teach other students how to function in the field as paramedics. He especially enjoys “seeing the light bulb turn on in their eyes” when they get a concept. The best piece of advice Anderson said he’s gotten is to make his family his top priority. When he’s home, his focus is on his wife, Lindi, and their two daughters, ages 7 and 2. “They mean everything to me and I try to give them that 100 percent because LARRY MAYER Billings Gazette‌ they deserve it,” he said. “Whether it’s dance parties or them painting my toe Billings Fire Department firefighter Nick Anderson is shown at Fire Station 6. nails pink or purple, we have fun. I make sure I keep my feet covered up at work.” have paramedics and EMTs who pro- public services every day. vide life-saving interventions. We have HAZMAT and SCBA (self-contained Why do you keep doing it? What is the biggest misperception breathing apparatus) technicians. We people have about first responders? I get a lot of satisfaction out of helping have rescue technicians who perform One I hear a lot is that since we’re high, low and steep-angle rope rescues, people. And it’s a job that will continua fire department, we must not be too water rescues, collapse, confined space ally push me to be better in every aspect busy since there aren’t fires every day. and trench rescues. We do public educa- of my life, physically, socially, intellecWe do so much more than fight fires. We tion, building inspections and provide tually and spiritually.

It’s more than a paycheck. It’s a calling. Here’s to our ﬁrst responders – both career and volunteer – who keep our communities safe. You have our deepest appreciation and thanks for your commitment. Together with the Billings Chamber of Commerce and area organizations, we are proud to be a part of the Billings Public Safety Initiative.

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October 2019

DJ Blyton A calming presence TOM HOWARD For The Billings Gazette‌ ‌D.J. Blyton might have been the most popular kid in class during show and tell time. “My show and tell was our heavy wrecker,” said Blyton, a driver for Billings Towing and Repair. “My kindergarten teacher loved it so much that it became a yearly thing at our school.” Typically he’s one of the first people on the scene whenever somebody breaks down or gets in a wreck. “Anything you can think of, I’ve seen it or done it,” he said. Some of the unusual jobs he’s been involved with include helping a truck towing a mobile home or righting a giant windmill tower that had shifted on the truck on which it was towed. During a heavy rain storm in 2013, Blyton and a couple other tow truck drivers posted themselves near MetraPark and pulled out numerous vehicles that were stranded while driving through deep water that had surged across the street. “I guess that we probably pulled out 50 to 60 cars that night,” he said. Billings Police Chief Rich St. John later recognized the drivers for their efforts.

What made you decide to pursue this line of work?

Growing up, I was always here. Instead of being at home or going to daycare, I’d usually rather be down here. I worked here on and off throughout high school, and went to work full time beginning Feb. 1, 2012.

Have you ever been afraid stepping in to the line of duty?

It’s never fun to be one of the first ones on a wreck because you never know what’s going to happen. I’ve been to fatal wrecks, and have seen the highway patrol investigate things like tire treads and skid marks. I understand a lot more of what they go through.

D.J. Blyton is shown at Billings DJ’s Towing and Recovery at 2212 Main Street.

to see you, but it depends on the situation. Usually, I’m able to keep them calmed down. One woman said, “Please don’t hurt my car.” I told her what’s been done is done but I promised I wouldn’t hurt her car any more. But it was already pretty much totaled.

What is the biggest misperception people have about first responders?

Sometimes we need a tow truck, too. One time, the engine on my pickup blew up and I had to wait for a tow truck. I had put a second motor in the truck, but the cylinder head cracked and it locked the motor up. I called my father, and luckily he was in town. Sitting out there gives you a whole new perspective.

LARRY MAYER Billings Gazette‌

on and off. But every time I’ve talked about What was the most rewarding leaving, I decided I’d rather be pulling cars experience you’ve had? out of the ditch. They say you can’t really There was a bad slide-off along Interleave because you know too much. We joke state 94. The driver managed to get out that it’s kind of like the mafia. and call highway patrol, but they drove by it twice before they saw him. From the What makes someone successful side of the interstate you couldn’t see the in your line of work? vehicle. I stood on top of the truck just to Through experience, you have to learn see the vehicle down in the ravine. By the to calm people down. They’re usually pret- time we were done we had one tow truck ty stressed out, but by the time you’re done, backed off the road, partially buried in they’re glad you’re there because we have a repair shop lined up and they start to calm the snow. When we got close enough, we hooked my wrecker up to help finish down. pulling it up

Is it hard to balance your family life and your job?

What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given and who gave it to you?

It can be, but you take what you can get I used to go on calls with my dad and during the holidays, even though someDid you ever think about What do you do to relieve times you get called out. My family is in the he taught me how to calm people down. getting out of this work? the stress in these situations? towing business, so we’ve learned to deal But I’ve also given him advice from things I’ve learned. Most of the time, the drivers are glad I’ve thought about it. I used to haul cows with it.

October 2019

DaryLynne Day A life spent helping others, right to the end DAVID MCCUMBER david.mccumber@mtstandard.com‌ ‌On the evening of Aug. 18, Zach Day was shopping with his kids at WalMart when his cell phone rang. They had been at the demolition derby at the Tri-County Fair in Deer Lodge, but his 6-year-old daughter, Ember, was getting a little restless, so he decided to take Ember and Zion shopping. Zion would turn 9 in two days, and so there were birthday items to think about. And that day also happened to be Zach’s 13th wedding anniversary, and it was a chance to steal away and get his wife DaryLynne a last-minute surprise. DaryLynne, an EMT for Powell Ambulance, was on duty that night, at the demolition derby. Day answered his phone. It was a doctor at Deer Lodge Medical Center. She told him that DaryLynne had been in a terrible accident. A car compet-

ing in the demolition derby, throttle stuck, had smashed into the bleachers where DaryLynne was standing. Oh, no. “I’ll be right there,” he said. “You don’t need to hurry,” the doctor said, and at that moment, standing in Day WalMart with his shopping cart and their kids, Zach knew DaryLynne was gone. DaryLynne Day was 36. It is hard to imagine a life more devoted to caregiving. In addition to being a mom, DaryLynne Day forged one career taking care of those Meagan Thompson, The Montana Standard‌ with special needs, and another taking Ember Day, 6, and her dad Zach Day hold Montana’s state flag that was flown above the state care of people in emergency situations. She capital as Zion Day holds the family dog Link at their home in Butte. The flag was flown at half worked at New Day Ranch near Billings, mast in honor of fallen EMT DaryLynne Day of Anaconda, Zach’s wife and Zion and Ember’s mother. Day died August 18, after she was struck by a demolition derby car while she was a crew member Please see Day, Page 8 on standby with an ambulance at the Powell County Fairgrounds.

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October 2019

Day From Page 7

then at AWARE, first in Billings then back home in Anaconda, where she had grown up and graduated from high school in 2001. She also worked at the Montana State Hospital in Warm Springs, as a psych tech and a recreational rehabilitation aide. Then she trained as an EMT, working first as a volunteer, then with Powell County Ambulance. On that August night, as the car that would end her life careened toward the bleachers, Day pushed several people out of harm’s way, with no regard for her own safety, witnesses said. That’s a reaction that is almost incomprehensible – but being selfless, looking out for others, and being an EMT was in DaryLynne’s DNA. Literally. Her mother and father, Tina and Darin Hellekson, are both EMTs. Her grandparents, Daryll and Jennifer Dye, were both EMTs. “My mother was the first EMT in Montana,” DaryLynne’s mother Tina Hellekson says. Jennifer Dye was also the first woman member of the Anaconda Search & Rescue 4x4 Patrol, and she and her husband, Daryll Dye, were instrumental in getting the Anaconda Volunteer Ambulance Service up and running. Jennifer Dye was recognized by both President Jimmy Carter and Sen. Max Baucus for saving a life using CPR. She witnessed a man being run over by a truck and rushed to give him CPR, and he survived the incident, Hellekson said. Hellekson said she and her husband Darin worked with her parents, helping out with the ambulance service in Anaconda, and because they’re certified EMTs also. DaryLynne, following in the footsteps of her parents and grandparents, gave CPR and EMT training classes. Opportunity fireman Jordan Lindberg was one of DaryLynne’s EMT students, and he was in the stands at the demolition derby the night she died. There is clearly a reason that the procession of first responders riding to her funeral was more than two miles long. Hellekson said her daughter’s death was utterly devastating. “We should never have to bury our children,” she said. “But I was very proud of her, the way she used the time she was here to help other people. “Some days are good, and other days are not good.” She takes solace in knowing that DaryLynne died “doing what she loved” and that she saved lives at the end of her own. DaryLynne was a skilled artist and musician. She could play at least 21 musical instruments – plus the one that was perhaps

October 2019

PAT HANSEN, for The Montana Standard‌

Ambulances, fire trucks, law enforcement, and other vehicles representing 61 agencies from Spokane, Wash., to Valley County, Mont., form a 2-milelong Line of Duty Death Memorial Procession for EMT Darylynne Day that traveled from Deer Lodge to Anaconda for her funeral service.

her best – her own voice. She made frequent appearances at local and regional sporting and other events, singing the national anthem – particularly at her brothers’ wrestling meets and football games. “Her voice!” Tina Hellekson said. “She could always sing so beautifully.” After two months, Zach, Zion and Ember are slowly emerging from a trackless fog of shock, grief and loss. Now, emptiness re-

mains – and routine. Because of DaryLynne’s multiple jobs, Zach has been a stay-at-home dad for years. “Given the cost of child care, it just made sense,” he said. Being a single parent isn’t quite as daunting as it might have been otherwise. The children have two sets of grandparents close by – the Helleksons, in Opportunity, and Zach’s parents, Kim and Rod Day, in Park City, so if Zach needs some help, or a little time alone, he has resources to draw on. “People ask me all the time if I need help or a respite,” he says. “I appreciate it. But I’ve got this parenting thing. I really don’t need time away. This is what I do.” He has moved his family to Butte, where a friend offered a house rent-free. Zion and Ember are enrolled at West Elementary. “I kept them home with me for a month,” he said. “I just didn’t think it was right to send them off to school right away.” He says that other than a little separation anxiety, the kids are doing as well as anyone could expect. “I’ve kept them in the loop,” he said. “They understand what has happened, and

they’re getting a little better, day by day.” For Day and the children, the outpouring of love, assistance and support has been stunning. In the first weeks after the accident, Day admits, he sometimes opted to drive to Helena or Missoula with the kids to shop, instead of going somewhere closer, just so they weren’t constantly besieged by friends and well-wishers. “It just got kind of overwhelming,” he said. “Even so, it was amazing how many people we knew that we ran into anyway.” Still, he said, he will be forever grateful for the help and love he has received since the accident. Several benefits have been held and a GoFundMe account has garnered more than $14,000. Zach Day stresses that the donated money will be put in trust accounts for the children. “I just want them to be comfortable,” he said, “and to have whatever they need as they get older, including college.” Zach Day has a personal goal: To become trained as an EMT. “I’d like to do it,” he said, “in memory of Dary.”

Jared Delaney Actions speaking loudly TOM HOWARD For The Billings Gazette‌ ‌Jared Delaney’s job as a Montana highway patrolman has many similarities to his previous career in education. And his side gig — he works many nights and weekends as a high school referee — is quite a bit like both of them. “All three jobs utilize the same skills. As a ref, you’re dealing with the crowd and the coaches and trying to keep your composure,” he said. “That’s exactly the same as in law enforcement when you are listening to what people have to say and trying to find a resolution. Each position has prepared me to do the other.” Delaney said he majored in criminal justice for part of his time at Montana State University Billings, but opted for a career in education, in which he served as a teacher and an administrator. Delaney’s interest in law enforcement was rekindled while he worked as a school administrator in Park City. “One of our teachers, a science teacher, taught a forensic science class. She’s a reserve officer in Laurel, and we went to a coroner’s inquest in Columbus. I drove the bus to help out,” he said. Not long after, Delaney became interested in the reserve officer program run by the Stillwater County Sheriff’s Office. “I found out they were accepting applications. I put mine in and I ended up serving as a reserve officer. They do the same thing as the regular officer, and I ended up doing that for four years,” he said. After four years, fulfilling both roles, Delaney was ready for a change. “There was an opening at the sheriff’s office, and I switched hats over the Christmas break. I turned in my shirt and tie and put on a uniform,” he said. Delaney worked as a Stillwater County deputy for two-and-a-half years, then was hired by the Montana Highway Patrol. “I was interested in their focus and the resources they have available,” he said. After completing training at the Montana Law Enforcement Academy and his field training, which wraps up in a few weeks, Delaney will work out of the MHP’s Billings office.

What made you decide to pursue this line of work?

Prior to becoming an officer, I worked in education as teacher and principal. Dur

CASEY PAGE, Billings Gazette‌

Montana Highway Patrol trooper Jared Delaney, pictured Thursday, October 10, 2019.

ing that time I was given the opportunity to volunteer in the Stillwater County Sheriff’s Office as a reserve deputy. I quickly came to understand that the same skill set I used in the schools closely correlated to law enforcement. After several years of volunteer work, I knew that a transition to full time law enforcement was a choice I was ready to make. Ultimately, each position affords you the flexibility of utilizing your own approach to problem solving while getting to work collectively with others that share a common goal.

Have you ever been afraid stepping into the line of duty?

Fortunately, the difficult situations I’ve encountered have been few and the availability of nearby backup and our collective efforts have quickly mitigated the danger of the situation.

OUR THANKS TO ALL FIRST RESPONDERS In honor of First Responders Day, AMR would like to thank the men and women who serve the Billings community each day including Michelle Grider, AMR Operations Supervisor. For the past six years, Michelle has faithfully served the Billings community. Whether in the community or at local events, Michelle is committed to delivering excellent patient care. Thank you to Michelle, and all Billings first responders, for your dedication and commitment to serve!

What do you do to relieve the stress of these situations?

In order to relieve stress, one of the most important strategies is to find interests and hobbies that you enjoy and to spend time doing them when you’re away from work. Equally important is having a network of people you can discuss challenging incidents with.

What is the biggest misperception people have about first responders?

I believe the greatest misperception the public has about officers is that our role is limited to catching people doing something Please see Delaney, Page 11

October 2019

Andy Ekblad

and was completely hooked after getting to see it first hand.

Have you ever been afraid stepping into the line of duty?

I have not been scared in the moment, but I have looked at things after a call and thought about the dangers of certain situations. We have good leadership and typically stay out of situations that would make us very uncomfortable. We do some dangerous things on fire and even medical calls, but we are aware of the risks and we train so that we are prepared for those situations when they happen.

Helping community members get back on their feet TOM HOWARD For The Billings Gazette‌ ‌Whether you’re somebody who has suffered a loss in a fire or even a firefighter who has fallen on hard times, Billings firefighter Andy Ekblad would like to help you get back on your feet. Ekblad is an active participant in Billings Firefighters Local 521’s Rich Duval Benevolent Fund. Since 2008, the Rich Duval Benevolent Fund has donated more than $200,000 to a variety of groups and individuals, including people displaced by fires and firefighters facing medical costs. The fund has also donated to the Billings Food Bank, Toys for Tots, the Women and Family Shelter and other organizations. “We give money to families who are burned out of their homes. If a firefighter is injured or gets cancer, no matter where they live, we’ll send them some money,” Ekblad said.

One of the organization’s main fundraisers is a raffle in which one gun is raffled each day for 30 days, and each year Billings firefighters collect money for Muscular Dystrophy, among other charities. Many young children say they’d like to be a firefighter when they grow up, but Ekblad’s interest wasn’t a passing childhood fancy. “In high school I did a ride-along, and that got me hooked,” said Ekblad, who grew up in Great Falls. “Until then, I didn’t realize that the fire department did medical calls.” He worked his way through college by working nights in a fire department. After college, he interviewed in Billings, and was thrilled to land a job on his first try. First responders who answered the call during the 2001 terrorist attacks have been in the news lately. Many of them have suffered from cancer and other health problems related to exposure of hazardous materials. Ekblad says that firefighters are paying more attention to the dangerous chemicals that

CASEY PAGE, Billings Gazette‌

Billings firefighter Andy Ekblad, pictured Thursday, October 10, 2019.

I have a great crew that I work with which helps with any job-related stress. On my days off, I try to stay active and enjoy spendthey’re exposed to when fighting fires. Despite the stress associated with the job, ing time traveling, biking and going to rock Ekblad remains dedicated to his profession. shows. “I love going to work every day,” he said.

What made you decide to pursue this line of work?

Giving up is not an option ‌On any given day, paramedic Michelle Grider might be dispatched to a car wreck, a patient having a stroke or any number of other medical emergencies. Whatever her shift looks like, she finds great satisfaction in working with a team to help others in crisis. “I get to meet and help so many different people,” Grider said. “I never imagined a job that allows me to do this every day.” She remembers one call episode as the most rewarding in her seven years with American Medical Response. One early morning in late June 2017, Grider was getting ready to go off shift when a call came in about a woman possibly in labor on Billings’ far West End. The patient’s water hadn’t broken. She didn’t feel the need to push. The contractions weren’t

October 2019

close together. “She wasn’t progressing, but she told me ‘I’m a nurse, I know I’m in labor,’” Grider said. She and two firefighters on scene loaded the woman into the ambulance and headed to the hospital. With less than a half mile to go, the woman let out a loud scream. Grider checked her patient and saw the infant’s head crowning. “I guess we’re delivering a baby,” Grider told the others. The mother pushed once and the baby came out, still enclosed in the amniotic sac. The infant kicked, the sac broke and Grider gently wiped her down, helping her to take her first breath. Grider stepped out of the ambulance and handed the baby to a surprised ER staff. “I still tell people that story all the time,” Grider said. “Being able to see that baby take her first breath in my arms, it was probably

What is the biggest misperception people have about first responders?

That we sleep a lot. A lot of folks think I chose to become a firefighter after tak- that the fire department’s primary job ing an EMT class in high school and doing is fires. In reality, we run thousands of some ride-alongs with Great Falls Fire Rescue. I always had an interest in fire service Please see Ekblad, Page 11

Michelle Grider SUE OLP For The Gazette‌

What do you do to relieve the stress of these situations?

CASEY PAGE, Billings Gazette‌

Paramedic Michelle Grider of American Medical Response, pictured Friday, October 18, 2019. the best call.” Grider, 41, grew up in Billings and graduated from Skyview High School in 1996. She worked at a day care/preschool for 14 years, which was a perfect fit because Grider could take her own kids with her to work. Then a friend, who taught EMT classes in Laurel, encouraged her to take the class, to see if she liked it. “I had no idea what an EMT even was,”

Grider said. “I was extremely nervous because I had never even seen the inside of an ambulance.” An EMT (emergency medical technician) takes a three-month class and, once licensed by the state, works in tandem with a paramedic who handles the advanced medical procedures. Grider worked for AMR for two years as an EMT, then decided to train as a paramedic at City College at Montana State University Billings. For more than two years she juggled school with raising her four kids and her job as a part-time EMT. Now, she works 12-hour night shifts, averaging 4 to 10 calls a night. Grider is also a paramedic supervisor. No two cases are the same, she said. Once on scene, adrenaline kicks in and Grider’s training and muscle memory help her as she assesses the situation and treats the patient. And afterward, to de-stress? “I have been blessed with some great co-workers who are always there to listen or give advice as to what they would have done,” Grider said. She also takes joy in spending time with her family. That is particularly poignant to Grider because she lost her son, Draike, to leukemia a year ago after a six-month illness. Please see Grider, Page 11

healthy when I leave, hopefully 25 or more years from now.

Ekblad From Page 10

medical calls, vehicle accidents, hazardous material calls, rescue and public assist calls. Our call volume in Billings is high, and our nights are often long.

Did you ever think about getting out this work?

Why do you keep doing it?

I love the people I work with and I enjoy getting to help peoWhat makes someone success- ple when I go to work. Every day is different and you never know ful in your line of work? I would say the most success- what you will end up doing. ful people I know are all self-mo- There is always something new tivated people with a good sense to learn, so it is a job that keeps you on your toes. of humor.

Is it hard to balance your family What was the most rewarding experience you’ve had? and your job?

I think about what I might do in 25 or 30 years. There are certainly bad parts to our job- sleep deprivation, toxic chemical exposure and just the physical toll of lifting and moving people and equipment in difficult situationsbut there is not a job that I would rather do. My focus is on being

My experience with the work/ life balance is that life needs to be a priority and is just as important as work. I think all members of the fire service have some growing pains with their work/life balance but it can be very good once you find what works for you.

Grider

What makes someone success- What’s the best piece of advice ful in your line of work? given to you, and who gave it?

From Page 10

“I realized life is too short,” she said. “In the past I missed out on birthday parties and other events. This year when my youngest started football, I only missed one game.”

For me, the key to success is always having a positive attitude and treating all my patients with respect. For most of our patients, they are having a medical crisis. If I can make it a little bit better and show that I truly care about them, then I have done my job.

It is hard to pinpoint one thing. We get to do things all the time that are rewarding for one reason or another. I did recently have my first cardiac arrest save since becoming a paramedic earlier this year, which was a very cool feeling.

The best piece of advice I have ever received is from my mom. Since I was little, she has always said, “Nothing in life is easy. Giving up is not an option. We will get through this together.” During medic school I had to remember those words many times.

Delaney

two is important and have worked to follow that advice.

From Page 9

Why do you keep doing it?

wrong. While enforcement is a Knowing that each day I have definite role, many times educa- the opportunity to help others, tion and conversation are equally make our communities safer, and effective and a preferred response. work in a job that challenges you and that is never the same is the Did you ever think about getting motivation that keeps me wanting to work in law enforcement. out this work? No, getting the opportunity each day to work with others who What was the most rewarding share the same dedication to im- experience you’ve had? proving their communities and The devastating effects that helping others all while improving substance abuse has on families my own skills keeps me motivated. and communities is one of the most difficult aspects of law enWhat makes someone successful forcement to witness. The greatest reward I’ve experienced is the in your line of work? You must be a good listener and reunification of families after a able to empathize with the people parent has been provided the opyou interact with. You must be portunity to complete treatment strong willed, but compassionate and rebuild their family. to needs of the community.

Is it hard to balance your family and your job?

I’ve not experienced a struggle between balancing my personal and professional life. Early in my career in education, I learned from others that that a separation of the

What’s the best piece of advice given to you, and who gave it?

I cannot think of the best advice I’ve been given but have always appreciated the quote, “Your actions speak so loudly that I cannot hear what you say” -Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Thank you to all of our First Responders! We are grateful for your service and sacrifice

210 North 27th St. Billings, MT 59101

October 2019

Ryland Nelson It’s something new every single day SUE OLP For The Billings Gazette‌ ‌When Billings Police officer Ryland Nelson arrives at work, he never knows what to expect. “This is not a stagnant job,” he said. “It’s something new every single day.” Nelson, 27, works the swing shift, from 2 p.m. to midnight. After a daily briefing and handling any paperwork or follow-up that needs attention, he hops into his car and begins to patrol. This past June, Nelson was dispatched one Sunday afternoon to a disturbance on the Rimrocks above Cactus Drive. Nelson got to the base of the cliff, after a steep trek and wading through a boulder field, then looked up. He spotted a man and a woman struggling on a small rock ledge probably eight feet at its widest point. Nelson called to the couple to stop fighting, but they ignored his command. He quickly climbed the 25 feet to the ledge and pulled the man away from the woman. “He said something about she was go-

ing to jump,” Nelson said. Nelson grabbed the woman, who continued to struggle and make suicidal threats. He managed to handcuff her, though she was combative, and attempted to calm her. Nelson remained with her for nearly two hours until a rescue unit arrived, sedated the woman and transported her safely to the top of the Rims. Nelson was exhausted by the end of it, his legs were limp. But he got back to his car and pulled out on the road, ready for the next call. “That’s what’s amazing with this job,” he said. “You show up and apparently you’re hiking the Rims today.” Nelson, a Billings native, graduated from Senior High School in 2011. He went to the University of Montana where he earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology with an emphasis in criminology. “I was in an accounting class and I realized I did not want a desk job,” he said. Nelson went through the steps to become a police officer. He spent the first two years in Big Horn County, then moved to

RYAN BERRY Billings Gazette‌

Officer Ryland Nelson stands in front to the downtown police station Saturday, Oct. 12, 2019 in Billings.

the Billings department two years ago. when working as part of a unit or a team, “The community service element of and this job is all about teamwork.” police work has always appealed to me,” Nelson acknowledges there are times on Nelson said, especially in a town where he the job when he experiences fear. But he said knows so many people. “I also enjoy the Please see Nelson, Page 13 camaraderie of the job. I’ve always felt best

Andrew O’Toole Everything from car wrecks to medical calls at home TOM HOWARD For The Billings Gazette‌ ‌Billings Fire Capt. Terry O’Toole received a unique sendoff before his retirement last June. Department officials arranged for him to work his final shift alongside his son, Andrew, a Billings firefighter. On most days, the O’Tooles worked at different stations. But the final day of Terry’s 20-plus-year called for something out of the ordinary. “On his last shift, the chiefs approved a day for us to work together,” said O’Toole, who is 24. Their day working side by side turned out to be fairly routine. “We had a few standard medical calls, but nothing out of the ordinary.” Growing up, Andrew enjoyed visiting his dad at the fire station, a tradition that likely

October 2019

sparked his early interest in pursuing a career as a firefighter. “We’d go down to visit him a lot on holidays when he was working, “ Andrew said. “A lot of families would come in to the fire station to spend the holiday and have dinner.” But as anybody who has worked as a first responder can attest, emergencies don’t observe holidays. “It seems like any time you make a good meal and set it on the table, you get a call,” said O’Toole, who is among 10 first responders being recognized for their community involvement. His dad’s official retirement party was another chance to celebrate. “Every year, typically around January, they have a deal at the Northern Hotel. All Please see O’Toole, Page 13

Firefighter Andrew O’Toole at Fire Station 1.

LARRY MAYER Billings Gazette‌

Nelson From Page 12

that’s a double-edged sword. “I think this kind of stress, while it’s difficult, keeps officers alert and sharp,” Nelson said. “Part of police work is accepting the fact that you might have to be the person who stands between the public and a bad situation.” He decompresses by spending time with family and friends. Nelson also enjoys skiing in the winter and water skiing during the summer months. He acknowledges there are misperceptions about police work. In a courtroom, when an attorney walks an officer step by step through an incident, the retelling might take an hour, while the incident itself occurred in 60 seconds. “We have a limited window of opportunity to make the right call,” Nelson said. “It’s incredibly difficult to make a major decision on scene. There’s no way around it, time plays a major constraint.”

Are there challenges to balancing your family and your job? Balancing work life and private life takes time to figure out. I think everybody struggles with this, not just police officers. However, we do experience really intense situations and part of being a good police officer, from my perspective, comes from understanding what one can and can’t control.

What’s the best piece of advice given to you, and who gave it? One of my sergeants gave me this piece of advice regarding mistakes. I’ll just paraphrase it: When you make a mistake, you can be hard on yourself for a day or two, but then you have to move past it. You have to learn from the mistake and let it go. Dwelling for too long on missteps can paralyze people on the job, which is obviously dangerous and counterproductive in this line of work.

O’Toole

alert. Most of the captains are well experienced and they won’t lead you into trouble. They won’t From Page 12 put you into a situation knowing the retirees get together. My dad that it’s something that can’t be had a chance to talk to the cap- handled. tains he had when he was my age,” O’Toole said. Training is a significant part of

only put out fires. They don’t realize that the city of Billings gets about 16,000 calls a year, and about 70 percent of those are medical calls, everything from car wrecks to medical calls at home.

I pretty much didn’t have my eyes on anything else besides firefighting. I had some good advice, and that gave me a good idea of what I had to do to get there.

Yes, we get a fair number of those. The whole department is trained at an operations level for rim rescues. Then there are the rescue techs. They train on different techniques, they have more equipment and can go into a deeper level. At the operations level, the first man goes over and can provide medical care. But if it’s an over-the-top rescue, that will be the rescue techs who do that.

It seems like Billings has a lot What made you decide to pursue your job. Can you describe what of rescues on the rims. Is that you do? this line of work? Yes. We start off and go through true?

the academy that we run in-house. We will train neighboring departments at the same time, and that’s pretty rigorous. You go through everything from rescue to hazmat to wildland and structure fires. Some firefighters have been Then through the year, there’s assigned training every week. known to work in volunteer look at advancing new techdepartments before they’re hired They niques or rehashing old ones that by a professional department. are tried and true. Then we do inhouse training. If we’re caught up, Did you take that path? I grew up in Laurel and worked the captain will have us do a trainat the Laurel department for a ing exercise, whether it’s throwcouple years before I was hired in ing ladders or rolling hose. Billings.

How do you handle the danger that’s part of your job?

Any structure fire is dangerMost people think we are just different for somebody who’s ous, and you’re always on high the fire department and that we married and has kids.

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How much of a challenge is it to balance your home and profesWhat are the biggest misconcep- sional life as a first responder? tions that people might have I’m single with no kids, so it’s about your job? not too hard for me. I’m sure it’s

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Clint Parker Responding to alarms since he was a kid SUE OLP For The Billings Gazette‌ ‌When Clint Parker was a boy growing up in Ryegate, a siren blaring in the distance would capture his attention. “I was one of those kids, every time an alarm went off I went off on my bike to see what was going on,” said Parker, 42, a longtime firefighter with the Blue Creek Volunteer Fire Department. In 1995, during his junior year of high school, as soon as he turned 18, Parker joined Ryegate’s volunteer fire department. “It was kind of fun,” he said. “I fought fire with three of my teachers. I would get excused from school to go do that.” Parker fought mostly grassfires during his tenure with the Ryegate department. Luckily, Parker said, they battled very few structure fires. He called the experience eye-opening, saying he had never realized all that went into fighting a fire. Training was continuous. And the experience spurred him to want to continue after he graduated. During that time, Parker also started training with the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation. He did contract firefighting with the DNRC for about four years, fighting wildfires. Parker got married in 2001 and when he moved to Billings that same year, he joined the Blue Creek department, where he’s served as a firefighter since. “We do structure protection, we do grass fires, we do medical calls, vehicle wrecks,” he said. “We cover everything.” Parker, like the others in his department, doesn’t get paid for his services. So he has had to juggle a full-time job with being a firefighter. For Parker, that has meant working full-time as an auto mechanic at the Poly Conoco station. Then he’s on call for Blue Creek from 5 p.m., on. “My pager goes off every time we get a call,” Parker said. “If I can get on 10 calls a month, it’s been a busy month for me.”

October 2019

Poly Conoco mechanic Clint Parker is also a wildland firefighter.

Juggling work, firefighting duties and home life can be difficult. Parker has missed his kids’ birthday parties and has had to leave a Thanksgiving dinner or on Christmas morning when his pager went off “to maybe save someone’s house.” “Everyone in the family has always been real understanding,” he said. “I can’t say they’re OK with it, but they understand.” One way he stays involved with his family is through drag racing. Parker’s oldest son, Tyler, and two older daughters drag race and Parker works on the cars. They travel around the state during the summer to race. “It’s fun to see the kids compete,” he said. “It’s amazing to watch them.” Firefighting requires both mental and physical strength. That includes strapping on a 40-pound backpack while battling wildfires and donning the heavy, protective gear to fight structure fires.

Because of that, Parker is considering calling his 24th year as a volunteer firefighter his last. When you get older, he said, “you don’t move as well.” But he’ll be leaving the department in good hands. His son, Tyler, started out as a junior firefighter with the Blue Creek department. When he turned 18, he was voted in as a regular member. “I look at that and that tells me he has a huge heart,” Parker said. When asked what advice he had for his son, Parker said in an emergency situation, it’s important to be tuned into everything that’s going on around you. “And always come home,” he said.

LARRY MAYER Billings Gazette‌

they don’t have a little bit of fear when they go on a call, that’s when they can get hurt. I’ve definitely had some close calls, and if you don’t have those fears in the back of your head, you could get careless.

What do you do to relieve the stress of these situations?

What causes stress most is not knowing what’s going to happen next. Things are always changing on us. You have to learn to adapt really quickly. We also have a great network at the fire department and talk about anything we need to.

What makes someone successful in Have you ever been afraid stepping into your line of work? You have to have good mental strength to the line of duty? do this. You have to follow through. There’s Anyone that does this line of work, if no halfway in this. It’s either all in or all out.

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Thank you to our First Responders for protecting our community

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2120 Main St. Billings, MT 406-534-1222 16

October 2019