LIFESTYLE
FINDING BALANCE By Julie Fitz-Gerald
RA N DY SC H M I TZ ’ S S TO RY
RANDY HAS ALWAYS BEEN DEEPLY PASSIONATE ABOUT EXCHANGING KNOWLEDGE AND PUTTING SAFETY FIRST. THAT PASSION BECAME THE CATALYST FOR ENTREPRENEURIAL SUCCESS.
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C RAC KYL MAGAZ I N E
For Randy Schmitz, firefighting is a multi-faceted career. Instead of simply getting the job done and heading home, Randy has consistently gone above and beyond to serve his community. A Fire Captain with the Calgary Fire Department in Alberta, Canada, with over 26 years of experience, Randy isn’t only a leader for his team, but also an extrication instructor for first-responders worldwide. And if that wasn’t enough, Randy is the creator and president of Schmitz Mittz, a business that makes protective extrication gloves. On top of his leadership, training, and entrepreneurial ventures, he is also a husband and father of five. You might wonder how he’s been able to balance so many different career paths, but Randy will tell you they’re all related and came about naturally. He’s always been deeply passionate about exchanging knowledge and putting safety first, so sharing his knowledge of extrication just came naturally. Training and safety remain his passion and priority, and his success reflects that. Schmitz’s experiences in the fire department and in extrication training convinced him that there was a need for durable, sophisticated, protective gloves. He witnessed firsthand the number of sharp objects and blood-borne threats to first-responders and was inspired to create powerfully protective gloves. His passion for safety was the catalyst.
