Considering the frigid temperatures and challenging firefight scene he was apart of earlier this week, it has been an interesting start to 2014 for Stuart Rescue Director of Operations Jeff Howard.

Nights like Sunday hit home for Howard because of his place in a smaller community, where most serious situations he attends to involve somebody linked to the local area or even somebody he knows directly.

As a responder with Stuart Rescue, Howard typically “sees people at their worst,” so when the feel-good moments come around, they stand out… Howard remembers one in particular from 2013.

“There are a lot of EMTs that go through their entire career without going through any delivery or being involved in any delivery, so for those that were involved, it was a joyous moment and a moment that they’re not going to forget in their EMS career.”

Howard says that anytime Stuart Rescue is involved with helping improve a local resident’s situation–be it helping take someone to the hospital for treatment or simply being there when somebody needs a shoulder for support–those are the times that impact him most, and he hopes that many of those moments await in 2014.