I wanted to become a medic as soon as I realized that fire and rescue is not a typical job. I did an internship during high school and I fell in love with it, so I pursued it as a career. I love that every day is different. In this kind of job, you work with a group of people that you bond with, and you become a team to help people in your community.

My family was very supportive. During my testing scenarios, my dad would always say, "You're Afghan, you're strong." and "Afghans never give up." Although my dad really didn't know too much about it, and would ask a lot of questions, he never stopped me from accomplishing anything.

My most memorable moment in the field was unfortunately a tragic one. We had to respond to multiple victims involved in a car crash and some of the patients were children. They were lying across the highway. It was one of my first exposures to trauma; it felt very surreal. I kept thinking, "this can't be real." I had to focus and work with my team members to give them the best care possible.

A paramedic can be called to a scene for almost any type of situation. Calls can vary from a person who just wanted to talk to someone to someone experiencing a major trauma. There is no limit to the types of calls we might run.

If you're the person who called 911, you can gather as much accurate information about the patient or the scene, and pass that along to the providers. For example, if your family member or friend is sick, know the "what, when, and, how" of the situation. Or, if you have a family member that is sick, make sure that you or they have an updated list of their medications/allergies, and a medical history with them at all times.

Yes, I've taken calls from women in labor. A pregnant woman laboring outside of the hospital should definitely try to stay as calm as they possibly can. I know it is easier said than done, but if you can keep calm it not only helps you, but the baby as well.

When faced with any crisis, take a deep breath, collect your thoughts, and figure out what the situation is instead of reacting right away. During an emergency, your first reaction might be to panic and you freeze up or feel out of control. Taking a few seconds and thinking things through can be empowering in any situation. Instead of feeling overwhelmed, you'll feel more calm and in control. In any situation, never be afraid of asking for help. When other people are there helping you, some of the stress from your emergency will be lifted off of your shoulders and will allow you to think more clearly.

I keep myself calm during an emergency by remembering I am here to help these victims. If I am upset or frantic then I am just adding to the situation instead of solving the problem. One thing we are taught in this job is to remember it is not our personal emergency, it is someone else's. We are there to help them.