First responder's tend to come from a family background of fellow first responders. Often there is a long line of grandfathers, fathers, and sons dedicating their lives to public safety.

Other times dad is the first one to become a first responder, and his children follow in his footsteps. Such is the case for one Wisconsin family.

A Family of EMTs

Jay Young is an EMT for Mayo Clinic Ambulance Service. Just like their father, Eric, Justin, and Jamison Young all work for the service. All of them also have full time jobs, making family time hard.

"You get used to it. We're a big community-based family. The satisfaction comes from helping patients and hearing you made a difference in people's lives."

Jamison Young

Jay became an EMT in 1990. While his sons were growing up, Jay worked for Bloomer Community Ambulance Service. According to Jay as a 2-years-old, Eric would flip through his dad's training books.

Big Impression

His sons became certified EMTs while at UW-Eau Claire. Having an EMT father made an big impact on all of their lives.

"It's every little boy's dream to do what his dad does, and then after seeing what the crew does on the ambulance and riding in an ambulance during parades, one thing led to another, and I got my EMT license too."

Eric Young

Eric's day job is as a high school principal in Whitehall. Justin, 27, is a health and physical education teacher in Gilman. He and Jamison are twins. Justin said, "It was just always kind of in our family, so I'm like, 'I'm doing it too,' " 

Change of Plans

Jamison planned on studying physics and engineering, but decided to go with a medical career instead.

"Without my dad's start as an EMT, I likely wouldn't have done it either, and now I'm a nurse dealing with multiple patients every day because of what he did. The rest of my life, I'll be working in health care because of him."

Jamison Young

During the pandemic, all the men picked up as many shifts as they could to help with the increase in calls and fewer staff members.

"The Young boys were standouts, dad included. It takes a certain type of person to work in prehospital care, and I genuinely believe that compassion and love for helping people is deeply ingrained in that Young family. They're a special group."

Sandy Eustice