EMT Dale Garcia
Counseling Services Unit (Peer Support)
1. Please introduce yourself—your name, your title and the year you joined the FDNY.
My name is Dale Garcia. I joined FDNY in 2015 as an emergency medical technician.
2. Where are you currently assigned, and what are your main responsibilities?
I am currently assigned to the Counseling Services Unit (Peer Support). We assist members who are traumatized from a current call, such as an infant in cardiac arrest, or who become overwhelmed by personal life events.
3. What inspired you to choose a life of public service with the FDNY?
Volunteering has always been my passion, so being able to put my passion into public service was an essential transition.
4. Can you share one of your most memorable moments on the job?
I came across an elderly patient whose apartment was really hot, feeling like 100 degrees. After our response, I was able to donate a standing AC unit to keep her apartment at a comfortable temperature.
5. When you hear the words “We Are FDNY,” what does that mean to you?
Hearing “We Are FDNY” means hearing different accents and learning how different members arrived at their passion to work for the FDNY.
6. What would you say is your “superpower”—a strength or skill you bring to your work?
Patience, which is vital in being able to understand, listen, plan and not rush a person to heal from their event.
7. How does your role help advance the FDNY’s mission of public safety?
Being able to assist members in addressing their life challenges so they can be their best selves for themselves, their families, their loved ones and the public we serve.