I've lived my whole life in Hunterdon County, and as of now, it contains everything and everyone I've known with any significance. I like to think I exude positivity, and most people who interact with me are likely to agree. But at least, according to some of my close friends and family, I can be a bit negative at times (I disagree, but then again, I might be biased). I'm an excellent student and get what must be done, done well and on time. My most expansive hobby would have to be reading, my favorites typically being comedic or historical texts. There is no single man, woman, or child I can honestly point to that individually inspired within me a desire to serve. Instead, my inspiration came from everybody I've ever met. Whether it be young or old, bachelor or father, it need not be understated that the loss of any life can be devastating. To the friends, the family, and anyone who knew the victim, the effects are obvious. Grief, sorrow, even anguish, it's hard to sufficiently describe what people go through in the event of a loved one's death. But the impact can often spread further to more than just those who knew the deceased; the secondary effect of a death on a community can be varied. I suppose what I'm trying to say is that to a community, someone's passing is and should be considered a tragedy. It's with this in mind that I consider these victims as a whole to be my inspiration to contribute to my community through volunteering as a Junior EMT. More specifically, putting forth my time and effort towards helping people and preventing that very tragedy from occurring. Or more realistically, delaying the inevitable to the point that when it occurs, the departed and those around them have made peace with reality. Of course, despite our best of efforts, not everyone makes it to that point. We do our best at that point to help mitigate the impact of the devastating event. Making the scene presentable, sometimes breaking the news to loved ones. All are important in ensuring the best outcome for all involved. Certainly, I've been painting quite the negative picture so far, but volunteering in this field offers much, much more in terms of community assistance than just attempting to prevent fatal events. Most emergencies we’re called out to usually don't involve life-threatening circumstances. It could be an elderly person who fell over and needed help getting back up again, checking out people involved in car crashes to ensure they aren't injured, or just reassuring someone that they are not having a medical emergency. Despite some of these situations seeming unimportant in the broader sense, our help at the scene can be pretty important to the person who called. That guy who was worried he was having a heart attack can sleep better knowing he's perfectly healthy, the mother with an inconsolable child post car accident can relax knowing that the situation is nothing out of the ordinary, all these scenarios and more are mightily important to those involved. In the future, I plan to further this commitment. Certainly, I will continue through my work as a volunteer, but perhaps more significantly through a career in medicine. By committing myself over the next decade to gaining a medical degree, I can fully dedicate my life to giving other lives the opportunity to achieve their fullest potential.