Native Matt Simkins Retires From Manhattan Beach Fire Department

MANHATTAN BEACH, CA — When Matt Simkins grew up in Manhattan Beach, there's no way he could have predicted what was to come in his life. But even withot that predictability, the MB native absolutely scored the job of a lifetime in Manhattan Beach, where he's been able to make a difference thanks to his service.

And now, after a little more than 31 years of service as a Manhattan Beach Firefighter and Paramedic, Simkins finds himself reflecting on a career that officially ended in terms of the City of Manhattan Beach just yesterday.

Indeed, the current Manhattan Beach resident, whose family landed here and settled in the 1890s before the city was incorporated, has a great vantage point from which to speak. "The enjoyment in working for any fire department is a combination of the people you work with and the people and area you serve," he told Manhattan Beach Patch. "In Manhattan Beach, I was working with a small department, providing an intimacy with my coworkers that translates to a more efficient work environment, which in emergency situations is critical.

"That same level of intimacy allows for a sharing of perspective post-response. Over the years the ability to recall, replay, and redistribute actions and emotions is a valued stress manager. To help us offset the impact of all of those 911 calls [in my career probably 33,000 give or take], we utilize humor, social creativity, talk story… any of which can be really entertaining," he said.

But a firefighter and paramedic's job is not easy, simple or entertaining, and it's easy to imagine the key role stress relief plays in a firefighter or paramedic's life. In addition to the situations they deal with, they also live away from their family for periods of time.

"The other big thing, maybe the greatest part of the job were all of the MBFD members I worked with," said Simkins. "MBFD has always been a small department so we all got to know each other very well. When I started we had a total of 31 firefighters, including the chief and fire marshal. Today, MBFD has 30 ( nine per shift, fire marshal, fire inspector, and fire chief).

"The comraderie runs deep and the shared experiences are the glue," he explained. "People dial 911 because they are in crisis [generally]. When we arrive, the situations we’re presented with require a special mind and skill set. At that moment, we, too, are living that crisis and are required to mitigate, resolve, mend, whatever. The aftermath for us is that we rely on each other to emotionally process the reality we’ve just been immersed in… The trust factor among us is high and the bond becomes very strong."

During his young formative years living in Manhattan Beach, Simkins found much to appreciate and like about the city. And living and growing up in the city, did actually lead to his employment with the Manhattan Beach Fire Department.

"I was recently single, needing a career change, when my mother showed me an article in The Beach Reporter about the Paid-Call Firefighter program in Manhattan Beach. It turned out MBFD was testing for the position and it sounded very dynamic. The program offered in-house training and was open to anyone, so I filled out an application and proceeded with the testing process. Think of that position as a window into the fire service. It took me 2-½ years to complete additional training, paramedic school, and honing my test-taking skills before I did well enough to start receiving job offers. You test with every fire department you can, getting placed on hiring lists. Fortunately, MBFD offered me a job before Monterey Park, or this would be a different story!" said Simkins.

He credits the Manhattan Beach community with making his career more enjoyable. "Though there has been a significant turnover in MB’s population and demographic, the community has always been supportive and appreciative of the work we do," said Simkins. "Manhattan is still a small town and I think there is also an intimacy between MBFD and the community. It’s not uncommon for firefighters and citizens to be on a first name basis, to know each other’s families, etc.

"I’d be remiss if I didn’t include the citizens as part of what’s rewarding about working in MB. I’ve met some terrific people, experienced great support, had terrific laughs, you name it. Finally, the city itself and the location offer so much for and to MBFD. Excellent equipment, facilities and training opportunities have become hallmarks of MBFD. As to location, proximity to the beach is tough to beat."

He calls helping a guy he grew up with one of the best moments of his career. "About 10 years into my career," he reflect, "we were dispatched to an altered level of consciousness. Arriving on scene we found the male patient unconscious and unresponsive. I immediately recognized him as a friend I’d known since junior high. We’ll call him Bob. We had to carry him out of a tight spot, got him into the paramedic ambulance [R-21], and I began to treat him. He improved en route to the hospital and that was that.

"About two weeks later, he came by the station to say thank you and to let me know what had
actually happened to him. I can’t go into detail, but the ER docs determined the cause of
his condition, which was very serious. Emergency surgery was performed and proved
successful. Probably six or seven years later I was in a gym in Waikiki, of all places, on a
treadmill, and noticed this guy behind me out of the corner of my eye… He was really
staring at me to the point that I finally turned to ask him what his problem was. I turn
around and the guy is now grinning at me… 'Hi Matt, how’s it going?' It was Bob! Turned out he’d moved to Oahu and was doing great, super healthy. Absolutely my best story."

During his career with the Manhattan Beach Fire Department, Simkins has served as acting captain, acting engineer, fire inspector, MB CERT instructor, CPR instructor, hazardous
materials trainer, terrorism liaison officer, as a member of MBFD’s Surf Rescue Group,
and most recently, in the earlier stages of the pandemic, as the liaison between MBFD
and the Manhattan Beach Unified School District, as well as the senior community in Manhattan Beach.

As for what he'll do now that he is retired, "Retirement for me means I can take a couple of weeks off to rest and regroup, then get moving forward. Aside from home projects, I have some education to complete first, then I’ll follow up on some contacts and see what they have in mind for me. The future is what you make of it."

Photo credit: Cleo Vasquez.

Matt Simkins stands with fellow Manhattan Beach Fire Department personnel to commemorate his years of service and his retirement.