Meet Firefighter/EMT Ben Street

Where are you stationed?
I am at Station 8 (Lien Road) on the ‘B' Shift. 

What did you do before working for MFD?  
I played professional hockey across North America and Europe for 14 years.

Where did you grow up?  
I grew up on the west coast of Canada, near Vancouver, in a town called Coquitlam. 

Why did you choose Madison Fire Department?  
I came to Madison as a student athlete and fell in love with the city and the culture of Madison; it very quickly felt like home. After living in many cities across the continent, my wife (who is from De Forest) and I knew we wanted to raise our family in a city with the same values and opportunities that Madison offers. Working with the Madison Fire Department provides a great opportunity to give back to the city and community that we love, while being a physically and mentally challenging job that keeps you on your feet.  

What was your favorite part of the recruit academy?   
My favorite part of academy was the week of smoke divers. It was somewhat of a culmination of what we had learned in training up until then, as well as a physical and mental challenge. It was probably the most difficult week, but when we had all achieved our tasks for that week successfully it was a very rewarding feeling.  

What are you most excited about as you transition from recruit to firefighter/EMT?  
I am most excited to go on calls for real and use the skills that I have been trained to use. I am also excited to work with and get to meet other members of the department. Finally, I am excited to learn about the different parts of the city that the stations serve and what makes each of them unique.  

What are you doing when you're not working?  
I have two kids who are very active in sports, so when I'm not working, I am running around with them to sporting events and practices. I also enjoy fishing, hunting and golfing.