| Brice fired up over chief position |
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| Written by PETER KUEBECK Sentinel Staff Writer | ||
| Thursday, 09 June 2011 09:28 | ||
More than 15 years later, that suggestion has led him to be the department's new chief. "I decided I wanted to do this for a while, and never left," Brice, a 1990 graduate of Perrysburg High School, said recently. After graduating, Brice attended Bowling Green State University, pursuing a degree in biology with a pre-med focus. While working toward his degree, he became interested in EMS and took basic training through adult education offered at Penta County. Brice thought that he would then do volunteer EMS work in order to build his resume for medical school. While training at Penta, Brice said that his instructor worked at Perrysburg Township and encouraged him to apply to work with the department. He applied and was accepted, and began going out on EMS runs with the full-time personnel. Around 1994 or 1995 he was offered a full-time position himself as an EMT Intermediate; by the time he graduated with his degree in 1995, Brice was already employed with the township. He has been with them ever since, going on to earn his paramedic's certificate at what is now University of Toledo Medical Center. Additionally, Brice has taught courses for EMTs at UTMC and Owens Community College, and continues to do so for Mercy St. Vincent Medical Center in Toledo. Brice noted that EMS and emergency medical work are very close. "There's a lot of similarities, and probably 80 percent" of the township's runs are EMS runs and not fire-related. In 2004 he became deputy chief and served under Fire Chief Michael Dimick, who was appointed chief the same year, until Dimick's retirement this March, when Brice himself acceded to the post. "It's the greatest job in the world," Brice said of working for the department. There is no other job in the world, he said, in which you are called at 2 a.m. and someone asks you to come to their house and, quite literally, puts their life in your hands. "That's a great deal of trust that the public is putting into us." "Sometimes seeing people at their worst is when families come together the most," Brice added later. Brice's perspective on the job has changed since assuming an administrative role. When working "on the line," as those in the emergency field put it, his focus was on handling runs - taking care of patients and putting out fires. Now, first as deputy chief and now as chief, his focus is ensuring that those "on the line" have what they need to do their jobs successfully. Brice acknowledged the stress of fire and EMT work, saying that "your body does literally go from zero to 100 miles per hour in a matter of seconds." While he likes the administrative side of things, he greatly enjoyed taking care of patients, something that he still gets to do from time to time. However, there is still a lot of reward in making sure the department is continuing to be a success and that his staff have what they require. "I've got a great bunch of guys and girls that work for me, I would say the best in the business," he said, noting that they make his job easy. Brice has a daughter and two sons with his wife, Angela, and said that in his limited free time he enjoys not only spending time with their children, but also practices jujitsu. He is currently a brown belt in the martial art, which he has been involved in for six years. "I get to do that with my kids, too, so it's kind of a family event. Met some good friends and it helps keep me in shape." |
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| Last Updated on Thursday, 09 June 2011 10:35 |
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