Paramedic Aleksandr Kaplan
Station 44
1. Please introduce yourself—your name, your title and the year you joined the FDNY.
My name is Aleksandr Kaplan. I am a paramedic, and I joined FDNY in March 2006.
2. Where are you currently assigned, and what are your main responsibilities?
I am currently assigned to Station 44. As a paramedic, my responsibilities are to provide advanced life support to any patient who comes before me.
3. What inspired you to choose a life of public service with the FDNY?
Joining FDNY isn’t just my inspiration, but the inspiration for many. It’s the best, biggest and most world-renowned fire department.
4. Can you share one of your most memorable moments on the job?
It’s hard to pinpoint the most memorable moment. When you see your patient in front of you with a smile, telling you they are feeling better; when you see a patient going from scared to smiling after their treatment—that is what is memorable to me.
5. When you hear the words “We Are FDNY,” what does that mean to you?
“We Are FDNY” tells me I am part of the best fire department in the world.
6. What would you say is your “superpower”—a strength or skill you bring to your work?
My superpower is to deescalate a tense or sometimes dangerous situation with a mentally ill patient.
7. How does your role help advance the FDNY’s mission of public safety?
I am just one person. I strive every day to be a better person, a better paramedic and a better patient advocate than yesterday.