Born to Be a Firefighter FIRST RESPONDER SPOTLIGHT

As he grew up and attended Bishop McGuinness High School, Zurmehly joined in the usual activities of others his age, especially enthusiastic about sports. He attended junior college and college on baseball scholarships, but even those experiences did nothing to distract him from his goal.

“It was never a question for me,” said Zurmehly. “I’ve always wanted to be able to make a positive impact on someone every day, and as a firefighter, you have a chance to be that positive effect on what’s probably one of the worst days of their lives.”

Zurmehly says he especially loves working with his teammates at the Moore Fire Department because the entire organization is single-minded in its approach to serving the community.

“I would just want the citizens of Moore to know that they come first for us,” said Zurmehly. “Our number one priority is to protect them, their property, and we’re willing to do whatever it takes to save lives, even if it means giving our own.”

While most people discover their life’s calling somewhere along the journey, Moore firefighter Lt. Michael Zurmehly insists that he was destined for the job pretty much at birth.

“It wasn’t just that I grew up around firefighters,” said Zurmehly, “It was such an integrated part of my life that I can’t remember a time when it wasn’t there.”

This is no exaggeration. Zurmehly’s grandfather was the Midwest City fire chief in the late 80s. His father sold fire equipment and fire trucks. So, it seems that from the moment he could walk, Zurmehly was moving toward a firefighting career.

“We always had a new fire truck parked in my driveway,” said Zurmehly. “He would take my friends and me for rides around the neighborhood in the trucks. I would tag along with my dad on service calls to the stations, and I even remember visiting Moore as a little kid.”

Moore firefighters are constantly training to keep their skills sharp, says Zurmehly, setting a standard of excellence that keeps them prepared for any situation.

“We focus on competency because when we show up, people expect us to be able to mitigate all hazards,” said Zurmehly. “We’ve got to able to handle anything. To be a surgeon. To be an electrician. We have to be all these things and more.”

Away from the firehouse and his teammates, Zurmehly enjoys married life with his wife, Emily, and their new daughter, Jenny. They also have an English bulldog named Winnie.

“It’s so fulfilling spending my downtime being a husband and learning to be a dad,” said Zurmehly. “It’s a game-changer, no doubt. I married my dream girl, and I get to be a girl-dad. I’m not sure life gets much better than that.”

Tiffany Herndon

MNTC CPR Coordinator & Health & Lab Specialist

Tiffany Herndon received an ASN, RN from Oklahoma City Community College and a BSN, RN from Oklahoma City University. She worked as an RN with Norman Regional Health Systems before accepting an adjunct position at Moore Norman Technology Center. Tiffany worked at MNTC for 7 years in Health Careers, including classroom instruction, skills training, and hands-on clinical experience. Now, Tiffany works as the full-time MNTC CPR Coordinator and Health and Lab Specialist.

CPR Training and Stop the Bleed

Why is CPR and Stop the Bleed training so critical?

For Healthcare professionals it is expected to have the critical skills gained through high quality CPR training to recognize several life-threatening emergencies. Providing CPR, using an AED, and relieve choking in a safe, timely and effective manner can be the difference between life and death. In a time of crisis, we rely on healthcare professionals to know how to provide information about Emergency Medical Services (EMS) activation, risk factors, signals and actions for survival of adults, children and infants in distress. The CPR and First Aid training and renewal training is essential to being able to act when the unexpected happens.

It is also important for any person with the duty to respond to a first aid or cardiac emergency because of job responsibilities or regulatory requirements. Whether you work in healthcare or not, many other workers are in situations where they need to know how to manage illness and injuries in the first minutes until professional help arrives.

We know that event the average citizen who wants to be prepared for the unexpected event of a cardiac arrest or serious life-threatening injury can perform this critical skill. With the right training and certification, you will have the ability to act.

What skills will students learn?

Moore Norman Technology Center offers training sessions for all levels of experience. The 2020 AHA guidelines provide the foundation for saving lives from cardiac arrest. It teaches both single rescuer and team basic life support skills for the application in both pre-hospital and in facility environments, with a focus on high quality CPR and team dynamics. In other training sessions, students will learn and demonstrate meaningful skills practice and testing, perform effective CPR with AED instruction and First Aid and manage illness and injuries until professional help arrives.

Will students be certified?

There are different certifications the participant receives depending on the type of CPR or First Aid training. MNTC is an official American Heart Association (AHA) Training Center so after successful completion of the CPR BLS class, the student will receive an AHA eCard via email from American Heart Association. Participants in the Heartsaver First Aid class, the student will receive AHA Heartsaver First Aid CPR AED eCard via email from AHA and successful completion of the training.

How do you sign up for the programs?

CPR certification must be renewed every two years so it is important to remember to update your training before it expires. Prospective students can enroll online at mntc.edu or call 405801-5000.

Virtual Programs

Many virtual programs require signup in advance with a valid email address. Go online to www.pioneerlibrarysystem.org/calendar for more information and the most current schedule of upcoming events.

Monday, February 6, 20, 27, 2:00 p.m. Healthy Brain, Healthy Mind: Meditation and Mindfulness

Thursday, February 9, 23, 4:00 p.m. Build it! LEGO Bricks

Thursday, February 9, 6:30 p.m. Behind the Story: Author Talk with Lana Harper

Tuesday, February 14, 6:00 p.m. Book Discussion on Remarkably Bright Creatures

Thursday, February 16, 12:00 p.m. Behind the Story: Author Talk with Grace M. Cho

Sunday, February 19, 2:00 p.m. In My Experience: Bigfoot in Oklahoma

Tuesday, February 28, 3:00 p.m. Behind the Story: Author Talk with Sadeqa Johnson

IN–PERSON PROGRAMS

Moore Public Library, 225 S. Howard Ave.

Wednesday, February 1, 8, 15, 22, 10:30 a.m. Rhythm Babies (0-18 Months)

Thursday, February 2, 16, 10:30 a.m. Early Explorers (2-6 years)

Thursday, February 2, 9, 16, 23, 6:30 p.m. Get Moving with All Levels Zumba

Monday, February 6, 13, 20, 27, 4:30 p.m. Creativity Unleashed (5-7 years)

Thursday, February 16, 6:00 p.m. Creativity Unleashed: Canvas Collage (Adults 18+)

Monday, February 6, 13, 20, 27, 4:30 p.m. Creativity Unleashed (8-11 years)

Tuesday, February 7, 14, 21, 28, 10:30 a.m. Preschool Story Time (3-5 Years)

Thursday, February 9, 23, 10:30 a.m. Toddler Story Time (1-3 Years)

Friday, February 10, 6:30 p.m. Manage Your Money: Save on Your Heating Bill

Saturday, February 18, 12:00 p.m. Let’s Get Gardening: Pruning Basics for Trees and Shrubs

Tuesday, February 21, 4:00 p.m. Sensory Explorers

Tuesday, February 21, 6:30 p.m. Eat Smart: Instant Pot Cooking

Wednesday, February 22, 6:00 p.m. Land That Job: Professional Headshots & Resume Help

Tuesday, February 28, 6:30 p.m. PLS Board Meeting

Southwest OKC Library, 2201 SW 134Th Street, OKC

Wednesday, February 1, 10:30 am. Family Story Time

Wednesday, February 1, 6:00 p.m. What’s Next? My Future After Renting

Friday, February 3, 10, 17, 24, 10:30 a.m. Toddler Story Time (1-3 years)

Monday, February 6, 13, 20, 27, 6:30 p.m. Get Moving with Beginners Tai Chi

Tuesday, February 7, 6:30 p.m. Healthy Brain, Healthy Mind: Creating Healthy Habits

Tuesday, February 7, 14, 21, 28, 10:00 a.m. Healthy Spaces and Places: Self-Care for Parents

Tuesday, February 7, 14, 21, 28, 10:30 a.m. Rhythm Babies (0-18 months)

Tuesday, February 7, 21, 6:00 p.m. Pawsitive Reading Buddies

Tuesday, February 7, 21, 6:20 p.m. Pawsitive Reading Buddies

Tuesday, February 7, 21, 6:40 p.m. Pawsitive Reading Buddies

Tuesday, February 7, 21, 7:00 p.m. Pawsitive Reading Buddies

Wednesday, February 8, 6:30 p.m. Eat Smart: Heart Health

Thursday, February 9, 10:30 a.m. Preschool Story Time (3-5 years)

Thursday, February 9, 4:30 p.m. STEAM Kids: Valentine’s Day Coding (8-11 years)

Thursday, January 9, 6:30 p.m Book Discussion with SOKC Library

Saturday, February 11, 1:00 p.m. Connection Corner: Learn to Play Dungeons and Dragons

Saturday, February 11, 2:00 p.m. Connection Corner: Play Dungeons and Dragons

Sunday, February 12, 2:00 p.m. Connection Corner: Play Dungeons and Dragons

Monday, February 13, 10:30 a.m. Music Connection

Wednesday, February 16, 10:30 a.m. Early Explorers

Friday, February 17, 4:00 p.m. Learn It! Sewing Machines

Saturday, February 18, 10:30 a.m. Early Explorers

Wednesday, February 22, 5:30 p.m. Build It!

Thursday, February 23, 10:30 a.m. Preschool Story Time (3-5 years)