10
S moke S ignals
MAY 1, 2018
Fulfilling a dream
Tribal member Jared Ripley hired at second largest fire department in U.S.
By Danielle Frost
Smoke Signals staff writer
While some spend years trying to
choose a career that decision was
never an issue for Jared Ripley.
The 26-year-old knew from the
time he was a small child that he
wanted to be a firefighter, following
in the footsteps of father Ron Rip-
ley, who retired from Los Angeles
County as a captain, and grandfa-
ther Fred Ripley, a retired assistant
chief with Lynnwood, Calif.
“It’s been a lifelong dream,” the
newly-minted Los Angeles Coun-
ty firefighter said. “I remember
visiting dad at the fire station as
far back as I can remember and
never had a negative experience.
There was great camaraderie and
they always had great things to
say about dad. … I also got to go
on ride-alongs when they would go
out for calls. That was pretty neat
to do as a kid.”
Los Angeles County is the sec-
ond largest fire department in the
United States with more
than 170 stations, only
surpassed by New York
City’s fire department.
Ripley is a Trib-
al member and son of
Tribal Council member
Denise Harvey. He grew
up in Norco, Calif., until
the age of 15 and then
moved to Tualatin.
“My mom was already
up here working for the
Tribe, so I decided I was
ready for something dif-
ferent so I tried living up here and
it was a great experience,” he said.
Ripley spent a summer working for
the Tribe’s Youth Employment Pro-
gram, which he credits for giving him
the skills to get through the tough
fire department application process.
“I honestly feel a lot of the credit
goes to the Tribe’s youth programs
and adult education for helping me
be successful,” he said. “I am very
fortunate to have access to this and
I appreciate it.”
Harvey said that her son’s focus
never wavered.
“It was rigorous … but a chance
for Jared to have the job he’d always
dreamed of and this was his oppor-
tunity,” she said. “He remained
focused and diligent throughout the
process. I’m so proud of him.”
According to the Los Angeles
County Fire Department website,
current selection criteria for fire-
fighters is a six-step process with
several standards within each
step. These are meeting minimum
requirements and certifications,
completing an application, an in-
terview, background investigation,
review of qualifications, and a med-
ical and psychological evaluation.
Photo by Danielle Frost
Jared Ripley recently became a Los Angeles County firefighter after a three-
year application and testing process. Los Angeles County is the second
largest fire department in the United States with more than 170 stations,
only surpassed by New York City’s fire department. Ripley is a Tribal member
and the son of Tribal Council member Denise Harvey.
Ripley graduated from the 16-week
cadet academy on Friday, March 30,
and started work Sunday, April 1.
Photos contributed by Denise Harvey
Once a firefighter has been hired,
he or she must successfully com-
plete the cadet academy.
The road to
achieving his dream
Ripley graduated from Tualatin
High School in 2009. While there,
he participated in football, track
and the school’s Outdoor Club. He
also was active in different Trib-
al events, such as powwow and
sweats.
After high school, Ripley attended
Chemeketa Community College
and earned an associate’s
degree in fire science in
2011.
He then attended Port-
land State University and
was offered a position at
Oregon Health & Science
University in 2013. Most
recently, he served as an
administrative coordina-
tor in the hospital trans-
portation and equipment
pool.
“I was happy there, my
supervisor was wonderful
and gave me a lot of op-
portunities, but I made
Jared Ripley is the first Grand Ronde Tribal member to ever become
a firefighter with Los Angeles County. He wanted to follow in the
footsteps of father Ron Ripley, left, who retired from Los Angeles
County as a captain, and grandfather Fred Ripley, right, a retired
assistant chief with Lynnwood, Calif. Here, they are pictured at
Jared’s graduation from the fire academy in March.
it very clear that if I got the offer
from L.A., I was going,” Ripley said.
“But I enjoyed my time there and
liked working in a high volume,
fast-paced environment.”
The road to becoming a firefighter
began in January 2015 when Ripley
applied and took a two-day written
test. A year later, he was contacted
for an interview and then sub-
mitted information for a detailed
background check.
After flying to Los Angeles in
March 2017 to meet with the investi-
gator in person, then came a medical
evaluation and being fitted for gear.
In November 2017, Ripley finally
received the e-mail he had been wait-
ing so long to receive: He had been
accepted into the cadet academy.
He graduated from the 16-week
academy on Friday, March 30, and
started work Sunday, April 1, as a
probationary firefighter. His moth-
er, father and grandfather attended
at the ceremony.
In the beginning of their careers,
firefighters are assigned to stations
within the county that have the
greatest need. For Ripley, that means
a 200-mile round trip commute from
his home in Newport Beach to a small
station in Pear Blossom.
“You are the new guy and you
don’t know the crew and what their
expectations are. … I tried to be
ready for whatever and so far it has
been a great experience,” he said.
“Most of the guys have been there
for 30 years or more and they’re
always there to answer questions
and want to help me be successful.”
There are approximately 175 fire
stations within Los Angeles County
and Ripley jokes that his new one is
also the farthest away from home.
“It is very interesting because I
live near the beach and work near
the mountains and the desert,” he
said. “There are busy highways
and with that the potential for car
accidents, wildland fires and brush
fires. … You are isolated and there
is a lot of responsibility for you. It
is a great experience because you
know you really need to be dialed
in on what you do.”
Ripley’s favorite part of his job is
being out in the field.
“I’m finally here and made it
where I want to be,” he said. “I have
an opportunity to go to work every
day and know I will have a great ex-
perience going into the station each
day. … You are here to help others
and to be a part of the community.”
Ripley also enjoys how every
day is different as a firefighter at
Station 79.
“It’s very unpredictable and I am
never bored,” Ripley said.
The most challenging part of the
process has been keeping up-to-
date with all of the requirements
of becoming a firefighter.
“Trying to plan and coordinate
everything living and working (in
Oregon) was difficult,” he said.
“There were literally days when
I would work, fly to California for
the day, fly home and work the next
day. I had to be ready to leave at the
drop of a hat.”
In his downtime, Ripley en-
joys snowboarding, working
out and attending sporting
events, especially college foot-
ball games. He plans to take
up surfing when time permits.
“Right now, I am just trying to
adjust to my new life,” he said.
“You have a lot of different things
going on during your probationary
period and my focus is keeping up
on that, resting when I can and
staying in shape.”
After six months, Ripley will
be moved to a different station
and after a year his probation-
ary period will be over and he
can choose to stay where he is
at or go elsewhere.
“So far, the guys I work with
have been nothing but helpful,”
he said. “It has been a really great
experience.”