Princeton Firefighter Spotlight: Patrick Shields

PRINCETON, NJ — Princeton firefighters continue to serve the community amid the coronavirus pandemic. These volunteers spend their time helping residents and deserve to be recognized.

The Princeton Fire Department will be sharing a series of profiles on their firefighters so the community can get to know who they are. The Department is also always looking for volunteers to help. To join, visit https://www.princetonnj.gov/94...

Name: Patrick Shields

Age: 34

Hometown: Princeton, NJ

Occupation: Finance Manager

What made you decide to become a volunteer firefighter with Princeton Fire Department?

The Princeton Fire Department has been in my life as long as I have been alive. My father is a member, my grandfather was a member, my uncle is a member - this is very much a family tradition. For as long as I can remember the PFD has always played a significant role in my life. Growing up, whether it was birthdays, weddings, or funerals, the PFD always offered a tremendous sense of community in its membership, many of whom I consider extended family. When I moved back home after college, I knew I would have the time to dedicate to the Department for the necessary training and to feel like a contributing member, so I joined right up. It was important to me to give back to the community I grew up around that gave me so much. It was also important for me to feel connected to the PFD’s history and my family’s place in that. Joining the PFD only helped strengthen my ties to Princeton and foster a deeper sense of belonging.

How do you manage your schedule between personal life and volunteering for the community of Princeton?

As with all parts of life, volunteering as a firefighter requires balance. You give the time you have and the community is better because of that. Once you join as a full firefighter, the monthly time requirements for things like training or duty shifts are pretty minimal and highly flexible. While we do have a set schedule of shifts and encourage members to take them, this is really only a tool to ensure we have proper protection for the town. If I can only sign on for a few hours in the morning or evening, I can just create a shift or notify others that I am on call. Additionally, even if I am not on call, I can still show up whenever I want for a fire call or to just hang out at the station. The important thing to note is that you sign up when it’s convenient for you and outside of that, you show up when you want. I manage my volunteer time so that it does not conflict with my work schedules or family commitments. One other important realization I’ve had after about 12 years in the Department is that people’s lives change over time and therefore the amount of time they can spend around the firehouse changes as a result. We want members to join for the long haul and we strive to maintain flexibility around time commitments to accommodate that.

What has been a moment that has given you the greatest satisfaction since becoming a firefighter?

Over my 12 years in the Department, there have been many enjoyable and satisfying events with the PFD. The events that have given me the greatest satisfaction have been those where I have been able to practically apply my training. One incident that sticks out to me was a three-alarm house fire. When I arrived at the station for the call, one of the Chiefs instructed me to drive our Ladder truck. I didn’t know it at the time, but this would be the first time I would be driving and pumping the first due apparatus at a true house fire. This was something I had trained extensively for but had never put my skills to test in a live incident. Thankfully, when I arrived on the scene my training kicked in and we were able to get the hose line in operation quickly. In the end, thanks to the great training of our members and those members of the surrounding departments that assisted us, we were effectively able to put the fire out.

What are some of the key things you’ve learned as a firefighter that have helped other areas of your life?

Volunteering with the fire department has given me many opportunities to grow as an individual. You not only learn tactical skills about fire suppression, but more importantly, you learn to develop critical thinking skills and how to better operate as part of a team. During drills and training, you get the opportunity to think creatively about how to solve unique problems or accomplish a goal or task. During actual incidents, you have to act quickly and deliberately to evolving circumstances under pressure. You learn to think not only about yourself, but about others on the crew, and how your actions can impact them. You also are given ample opportunities to develop leadership skills, regardless of whether you are an Officer of the Department. Every truck at every fire call has an officer who is riding the front seat. These officers are responsible for their crew for the duration of the incident. They have to lead and direct the crew’s operations, communicate with incident command, and ensure the overall safety of everyone that got on the truck with them. These key leadership, communication, and critical thinking skills are not only invaluable to one’s personal life but are also transferable to any career.

Why should a resident of Princeton join the fire department?

First and foremost, I think it is important to be vested in the community with which you live. You should know what is going on, you should genuinely care for the community and its members, and you should help to improve it. Volunteering as a firefighter is a great way to be involved with your community and help make it a better place to live. Further, there are multiple reasons why I would suggest a resident of Princeton join the PFD, but perhaps most selfishly, I would say the best reason is for the great relationships you can build. Some of the best friends I have, I’ve made in the Department. I have been able to learn from these people and grow as an individual. So I would recommend that a resident of Princeton join the Princeton Fire Department because they would open their lives up to a world of new experiences. Even if not in Princeton, I would encourage any who reads this to reach out to their local fire department and see what you can to do support them.

Thank you for reading. Have a correction or news tip? Email sarah.salvadore@patch.com

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