EMT Derron Bucknor Celebrates 20 Years of the FDNY High School

Since its founding more than 20 years ago, the Captain Vernon A. Richard High School for Fire and Life Safety has played a pivotal role in preparing young people for leadership in public service. Among its many success stories is Derron Bucknor, a 2013 graduate who has been serving as a dedicated EMT at Station 26, also known as the “Tin House,” since 2016.

“It is a tough job being in EMS, but I like the fact that you can give back to others every day, no matter what, to be that voice for them or to be the ear there to listen to them in their time of need and to just give back to them,” said Bucknor. Initially, Bucknor didn’t view the high school as a path to a career in emergency services. That changed in his junior year.

“In high school, I wasn’t a grade A student by any means. But by being engaged in my junior and senior year with the Explorers program and FDNY Mentors/ Instructors that came to teach us, it really solidified a grasp on reality for me,” recalled Bucknor. “From their strong leadership development, mentor-to-mentee professionalism, and the ability to gauge and build my own moral compass, I have molded myself into the strong leader, mentor, and FDNY professional I consider myself to be.” The foundation that was built in high school helped propel him through the first ever Winter EMS Academy (WEMSA), earning his New York State EMT Certification.

He spent several years in the private sector before graduating from the FDNY EMS Academy in 2016. He served as an FDNY Exploring Post Advisor, inspiring young people to follow his footsteps and giving back to the same program which helped him launch his career. In 2018, he broadened his commitment to service by joining the U.S. Navy as a hospital corpsman, a role he continues to fulfill as reservist alongside his work in FDNY EMS.

“The main piece of advice I would give to young people today would be to experience everything, to get in and see what it’s like,” said Bucknor. “Spread your wings a bit and don’t give up, not on yourself, not on anything.”