Get to know #yourColletonFirefighter Matt Smart on #firefighterfriday. Engineer-Paramedic Smart is assigned to the Station 1 Platoon on “B” Shift. Here is more information on Engineer-Paramedic Smart:
Matt entered the fire service in 2004 as a volunteer for a community fire department in Berkeley County. After getting his bearings on the volunteer side, he decided to turn his hobby into a career. Matt enrolled in EMT school and quickly became intrigued by the medical field. This drove him to look into fire based EMS systems, and he heard some great things about Colleton County Fire-Rescue. It was the “challenge” of using a combination of two skill sets that motivated him to take a leap of faith. In 2013, he was offered a “D” shift position. Soon after orientation ended, he knew he had made the right choice. He transitioned to a 24/48 position and enrolled in Paramedic School. Upon obtaining his Paramedic Certification, Matt set his sights on another challenge, earning his Engineer qualification. This arduous task requires successful completion of numerous fire certifications in addition to intense in-house cognitive and psychomotor evaluations. Over the years, Matt has spent so much time focusing on his career. He earned his Masters in Business Administration and was promoted to Captain. Matt, an avid outdoorsmen, was given an opportunity to work part time at a local plantation. This part time endeavor put him into a weird position when he was offered the role of Plantation Manager. His passion for the outdoors led him to try a new adventure, and he transitioned to volunteer status. However, he realized that he truly missed the fire service and decided it was time to return “home.”
During his time off Matt takes advantage of traveling the country on hunting expeditions. He still works part time at a local plantation, so he feels he does not have much free time. When he gets the chance, he loves to visit the local beaches, the mountains, fish, and spend time with friends.
