When I was young, I lived near a winding mountain road that, to me, felt like miles. There were long distances without homes or businesses, only forest. On this road within the trees, there was a simple sign from the local volunteer ambulance and fire department that read “What if no one answered the call, will you?” It got my attention. Now, years later, I am so very grateful I volunteered. Through over 2,500 hours of volunteer work as a fully licensed and Nationally Certified EMT for both Vernon Township and Glenwood/Pochuck Ambulance Squads in northern NJ, an American Red Cross Certified CPR Instructor and working as a First Aid responder at a local ski and mountain bike center, I have witnessed multiple car accidents, heart attacks, strokes, gunshot wounds, broken bones and severe brain traumas. I have even had the privilege of helping to bring a healthy baby boy into the world! I have experienced first-hand the profound impact volunteer firefighters and EMTs have on individuals, families and communities, often during the most vulnerable moments of life. My local First Responder community has become my second family. Together, we have forged unbreakable bonds through trust, trauma, sleep deprivation, frustration, comedy, and excellence. This community of volunteers is the only one I know of where race, gender, family background, religion, or any of the all too common divisive tropes have no meaning. Whether sharing the tender moment of compassion and dignity assisting an elder trapped between a toilet and wall, or on the scene of an aggressive head trauma, teamwork and trust shine through. Receiving this scholarship in memory of Fire Station Chief Lawrence J. Nemec Jr. would help me pursue my dream of higher education in medicine while enabling me to continue my volunteer service. As the first person in my family to pursue a career in healthcare, I have achieved the highest certifications available to a high school student, built a solid reputation for responsible, compassionate, exemplary care and have developed a strong foundation in emergency medicine and public safety. I have been accepted and enrolled at Bard College at Annandale-on-Hudson as a Biology student. My goals after graduating (majoring in Human Biology with an emphasis on Pre-Medicine and Public Safety) are deeply rooted in my desire to help others and make a tangible difference in my community. I intend to continue on through graduate school and ultimately become an Advanced Practice Nurse or Emergency Physician, continuing all the while with my EMS work. Whether through simply offering a kind smile while delivering meds or completing life saving intervention, I want to have the skills, expertise and experience to help. My community of volunteers has become my way of life, a philosophy and reminder that I am a part of something larger than myself. I understand now what it means to be connected at a larger level, part of the interdependent and deeply interconnected, larger whole. I further understand that actions, no matter how seemingly small, have ripple effects that extend far beyond myself and understand how important it is to be part of something good. I have learned that service is the fastest way to belong and I recognize and respect that spirit in others. Now, I am so very grateful I am trained and will continue to “answer the call” that was posed on that road sign in the forest so many years ago.