July 19, 2007

Glimpse of a firefighter Fire captain speaks at AVCA

By Lorraine Gabbert
Staff Writer

Fire Capt. Trent Engler enjoys the camaraderie and teamwork of being a firefighter and finds fulfillment in helping others.

Engler spoke about the demanding life of a firefighter during a recent Almaden Valley Community Association meeting. “It’s a very challenging job,” he explained. “It’s stressful, but rewarding.”

Almaden resident Trent Engler is a captain with the San Jose Fire Department. Photo by Lorraine Gabbert

Last year, the San Jose Fire Department responded to about 70,000 calls from 31 stations. As approximately 75 percent of calls are medical in nature, many firefighters are also trained paramedics. Engler is certified as an emergency medical technician, hazardous materials specialist, rescue systems instructor and urban search and rescue team member, to name just a few. 

Like most San Jose firefighters, Engler works a 24-hour shift and a minimum 56-hour workweek. “We could always use more police and firefighters,” he said. “When you have an emergency, you want people there. We have 194 San Jose firefighters on duty each day to protect about 1 million people. You tell me if that’s enough.”

Three new fire stations are being built in San Jose. Slated to open in August, Station Number 33 will be located on Communications Hill, near the Guadalupe Freeway and Curtner Avenue. Station Number 35 opens in September on Poughkeepsie and Cottle Road by the old IBM plant. Station Number 34 will open at King Road and Las Plumas.

Two other fire stations are being relocated to better serve the area. Station Number 17 will move from Kooser Road to Blossom Hill Road, across from Pioneer High School, and Station Number 12, currently at Snell Avenue and Calero Avenue, will jump to Cahalan Avenue and Calero.

In his 26 years as a firefighter, Engler has seen his share of anguish and suffering. “Firefighting is one of the most dangerous jobs you can have,” he said. “At almost every fire call, someone gets hurt: a civilian or a firefighter.” Engler has had blood spat at him by a drunken motorist injured in a car accident, been confronted by an enraged man who took a swing at him and coughed on by a person with tuberculosis.

But there was one harrowing day he will never forget. After attending the funeral of his friend—an Oakland fire captain who was killed in a house fire when the structure collapsed—he and his crew answered an emergency call at the home of one of his high school pals. His friend, who was in his 30s, wasn’t breathing. They performed CPR, but couldn’t revive him.

The same day, Engler’s team responded to the scene of an accident involving two young boys, ages 8 and 10, who had been hit by a car. One was immediately killed and despite administering CPR to the other, they couldn’t save him either. “It was my worst day on the job,” said Engler. “I remember coming home and saying, ‘I’m tired of sirens.’”

“The good thing is,” he added, “you also save people. My crew and I saved 12 people’s lives; they’re alive because of us.” Most recently, they recovered a man who was disoriented as smoke filled the hallways during a house fire. “We had to tackle him to get him out of the house,” said Engler. “He suffered from burns and smoke inhalation, but we saved him. I’m proud of that.”

Engler wanted to be a firefighter since he was in grade school. One day in 1977, when he was just a kid, he rode his bike to a firehouse and met newly hired firefighter Darryl Von Raesfeld, who showed him around the station. “Thirty years later, I’m a San Jose fire captain and he’s my fire chief,” said Engler humbly.

San Jose Fire Department Captain Trent Engler has been an active member of the AVCA since 2000. Photo courtesy of AVCA

A dedicated firefighter, Engler takes umbrage at a recent city report that indicates that the majority of the San Jose Fire Department's disability-related injuries are due to poor health and station chores, rather than understaffing and hazardous working conditions. “It hurts me to see a negative image created of firefighters,” he said. “I don’t believe it was completely accurate. The San Jose Fire Department is one of the best departments in the nation.”

Even when they’re not answering calls, firefighters keep busy maintaining their station house, vehicles and equipment, familiarizing themselves with local access routes, training as a team and keeping fit. Firefighters do mandatory physical fitness for an hour every day, and each station includes a dedicated weight room for cardio, complete with stair climbers and treadmills. Engler also runs on his days off.

A member of the AVCA since 2000, Engler takes his role as public safety advisor seriously, informing the organization on everything from signs of a stroke to wildfire safety measures. He strongly urges everyone to have an annual physical. “A lot of people never see a doctor,” he said, “and they really should.”

“Stroke is the number-three killer behind heart attacks and cancer,” he said. According to Engler, signs of a stroke include arm drift (when someone tries to hold their arms in front of them, one falls below the other), one pupil dilated more than the other, a droopy smile, uneven grip strength and high blood pressure.

And in the midst of the wildfire season (May through October), Engler shared the following safety tips: SJFD recommends a 100-foot defensible area around your house, clearing brush and planting evergreen or plants and shrubs that don’t burn easily.

Even with the hardships of his job, Engler wouldn’t trade it for a minute. “I love my job and would never ever quit,” he says. “I have a chance to make a difference in somebody’s life.”

The San Jose Fire Department offers a ride-along program, particularly for residents interested in becoming firefighters.

The next AVCA meeting will be held on Monday, Aug. 13, from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Almaden Community Center, 6445 Camden Avenue.