By Sheila Harvey, San Juan Fire & Rescue public information officer
Erin Graham is actually a native of San Juan Island, but moved off island when she was a toddler.
She moved back at the age of 37.
She was raised in Sequim, went to high school there, then received a degree in early childhood education from Peninsula College and general science for elementary school from Western Washington University.
Not long after being back, she was recruited to join San Juan Island Fire & Rescue by a friend who was already a fire fighter. She had no idea that she even wanted to be a firefighter, but is now very active in the department.
She goes to most of the 911 calls for fires, enjoys taking classes offered by the fire department and has submitted an application for EMT training.
During the regular work week, you can find Erin at the school she founded in the fall of 2013, called Daisy Chain School, on West Valley Road. It is a school for all ages providing enrichment based on the science of education.
Erin says that her experience working with children is helpful in the fire service because she needs to remain calm in stressful situations, and using situational awareness in the classroom helps her to do this.
For SJIFR, she is very active in learning activities for children. She directed this years Easter Egg Hunt at Jackson’s Beach, which she intends to do each year. Erin also participates in the County Fair, Safety Week and the Children’s Festival, representing San Juan Island Fire Rescue.
Agreeing that fire fighting takes a lot of time, she says that it doesn’t take that much time once you get into the routine and that it certainly is worth the time it does take and is very rewarding.
She really loves being a firefighter.
San Juan Island Fire Rescue welcomes all interested men and women, ages 16 years and above to drop by the Mullis Street Station and make an appointment to see what we are all about. Or look online at www.sjif.org for lots of good information.
Our phone number is 360-378-5334. We would be pleased to talk with you.
