By Tom Colin : engardio – excerpt
Sunset firefighter and surfer Travis Payne.
For firefighter Travis Payne, a love of surfing became an essential job description. As an internationally known big-wave competitive surfer who placed second at the Mavericks contest, he brings those skills to saving lives.
Payne’s firehouse is known as a “surf house” because it serves Sunset neighborhoods near the ocean.
Payne will race into the waves with his surfboard to reach an injured or struggling swimmer. Then he will travel with the victim in the ambulance to help administer medical aid.
“I’ve ended up at the hospital in my wetsuit,” says Payne, 38, a firefighter-paramedic and a member of the Station 18 surf-rescue team. “If they’re in critical condition, there’s usually a lot of work to be done on the way to the hospital.”
Payne describes himself as “pretty chill” and says the laid-back surfer persona helps in his paramedic work.
“Working on ambulances for so many years, I learned how to react under pressure,” he says. “If you can stay calm, that usually calms the other person down.”
Most days, Payne’s work as a firefighter-medic on dry land in the Sunset: fires and medical calls.
But some days, like on February 9, are like no other. An explosion was heard for miles…(more)
Voices from the Front 