Article on former UNT player

Baby Arm! · March 9, 2006

UNT alum Ron Paris profiled in Lewisville Leader:

Lewisville grad returns to serve community he grew up in

By CHRIS ROARK 03/03/2006

When Ron Paris was 16, he was helping the Lewisville football team win a state championship.

He was also getting a head start on his future career of helping others.

A small fire at his father's shop sparked his interest in firefighting after he helped extinguish the fire.

Now, nearly eight years later, football is behind him but his days of rescuing those in need are just beginning.

Paris, a 1998 Lewisville graduate, was hired by the Lewisville Fire Department in January after spending 10 months with the Grapevine department. While he said Grapevine is a great city, there was no question that Lewisville was the place for him.

"Everyone sets their goals as to where they want to be, and Lewisville let that happen for me," Paris said. "I enjoy my town. I was born here and went to school here, and Lewisville is a tremendous department. I'm lucky to be here."

Paris' journey to become a firefighter began after graduating from the University of North Texas, where he continued his football career as defensive end.

After graduation, he entered Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) school and then went to the fire academy. Having training in both areas is becoming more common for firefighters, but Paris said that just comes with the times.

"We have a lot of training that we have to do," Paris said. "Houses are tighter now, so there's less air inside. EMS is more involved, and there's a lot more to know now. If you're not learning something new, it's a lost day."

And there are lots of things to learn. His firefighter training encompassed cognitive skills, classroom work and hands-on training that stretched far beyond putting out fires. While knowing how to crawl through smoke and use a breathing apparatus is a must, so is the knowledge of vehicle rescue in any situation and carbon monoxide detection.

And with a heavier emphasis being placed on firefighters having paramedic training than ever before, Paris attended classroom sessions, rode with other paramedics, was graded and evaluated on his performance and worked under a doctor to be able to practice medicine.

"I felt like I knew a lot of general stuff," Paris said of his time in EMT school. "But now that I'm with the department, I'm learning a lot more. We have excellent paramedics here, so they show me what they know."

Firefighters work shifts that require them to work 24 straight hours and then take off 48 straight hours. A typical workday begins with taking the appropriate medication and checking all of the equipment. There are daily morning chores, which include doing dishes since he eats and sleeps at the station on workdays.

The department usually has about eight to 10 calls per shift, but when all is quiet, the firefighters are busy training.

So far, Paris has responded to three fires. He hasn't seen a fire involving people he has known in the past, and he hopes he never does. But he's ready to help if that time comes.

"This is a way for him to give back to the community that he grew up in," said Assistant Fire Chief Tim Tittle. "He's getting to do what he's wanted to do, which is to be a civil servant and help people."