Ricardo Espinoza

Fire Prevention Technicians enforce county ordinances 695 and 772 throughout certain parts of Riverside County. The job consists of inspecting hazardous vegetation, combustible material, or accumulated litter on vacant parcels and neglected orchards and providing public education to property owners and the community. In addition to enforcing the ordinances, Fire Prevention Technicians must be familiar with environmental laws protecting endangered and protected species under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 and the California Endangered Species Act.

As a Disneyland Firefighter, I was required to familiarize myself with the geographical area and site plans for Disneyland, California Adventure, and Disney Hotels to quickly and effectively respond to fire or smoke-related incidents. In addition, I was responsible for numerous fire prevention roles such as hydrant inspections, fire extinguisher inspections, standbys, and fire watch during welding or grinding operations. Furthermore, I worked alongside fire safety officers during pyrotechnic events and was responsible for disabling Fire Alarm Control Panels and extinguishing embers or spot fires resulting from the pyrotechnics.

As a Firefighter, I responded to an all-hazards 911 emergency system, responding to fires, traffic collisions, medical emergencies, and hazardous materials incidents. My duties varied depending on the call and often included life-saving procedures such as BLS life support, CPR, rope rescue operations, vehicle extrication, search and rescue, firefighting operations, and wildland firefighting. In addition, I was responsible for cooking, maintaining tools and equipment, performing general maintenance around the station, and honing my skills as a firefighter.

I was responsible for performing annual defensible space inspections throughout San Bernardino County. The inspections would include the highlighted California fire code sections and address flammable vegetation, home hardening techniques, and bark beetle awareness. Owners who were not compliant with the defensible space requirements were given public education regarding its effectiveness in the wildland-urban interface setting and a chance to comply within 30 days. I was responsible for scheduling the re-inspections, responding to complaints, and following up with the complaints.

As an Emergency Room Technician, I was responsible for restocking medical supplies throughout the emergency room and responding to medical emergencies within the hospital. I assisted doctors and nurses with numerous medical procedures, such as splints, wound care, vital assessments, vision exams, specimen collection/testing, and discharge paperwork. Furthermore, I performed electrocardiograms on patients with suspected cardiac issues and delivered them to the onsite physician for medical evaluation. If there were a Spanish-speaking patient, I would be a translator for medical personnel to fill the language barrier.