Off of South Mcdonnel Rd, SFO Firehouse 3 stands proud between the airport terminals and public streets. First Responder Gabriel Rodriguez is one of the newest editions to the firefighter team and also serves as the group’s paramedic.

Rodriguez became a firefighter in 2014; however he had been working in the paramedic department since 2006.

“I decided to become a paramedic when I was 16…One of the first [cases] was [when] I was doing a ride along and someone overdosed on heroin. I didn’t want to [continue working] at first, but the paramedic, who’s a family friend of ours, said, ‘hey, this is part of the job. You just gotta work through it, and we’ll work through it together.’ And now here I am” said Rodriguez.

From that moment, he knew helping people was his passion and after working for San Francisco’s fire department for 10 years, he transferred to the airport unit.

“It’s different firefighting [working at the airport]. A lot of hazmat, hazardous material, car accidents, planes, engine fires [and] car fires.

Two most frequent calls are because of elevator malfunctions, where the inside machinery overheats, causing smoke. Another common problem patients experience comes as a result from flying.

“There’s been cases with patients getting off airplanes and having pulmonary emphasis, which is like a clot from a long flight.”

For students interested in the fire department, Rodriguez offers one lasting piece of advice.

“Just follow your dreams. Go with it. Don’t do it for the money, do it because you want to.”