EPISODE · Feb 27, 2026 · 5 MIN
45 Years in EMS & Trauma Care
from Roots and Branches of Lehi: The People and Stories of Our City · host Work Harding
🚑 From Small-Town Roots to Trauma Nursing & Fire/EMS Leadership | Service, Sacrifice & Resilience | Highlight Reel What shapes someone into a lifelong first responder? In this powerful highlight from Roots & Branches of Lehi, we hear the story of Rick Howard, a Southern California–born, Hawaii-raised nurse and Fire/EMS leader whose life was shaped by early loss, deep family bonds, and a calling to serve. After losing his father at a young age, he learned quickly how fragile life can be. Years later, a Valentine’s Day blind date in Lehi led to a 45-year marriage built on faith, perseverance, and love—even through the heartbreak of losing a baby and navigating a son’s complex congenital heart condition that required specialized expertise from around the world. Professionally, what began as others recognizing his aptitude for medicine evolved into decades of service—continuous certifications since 1985, trauma nursing during a critical shortage, and leadership roles in combined Fire/EMS systems. He shares stories of high-altitude emergencies, early EKG interpretation breakthroughs, and advocating to bypass local facilities to get heart attack patients directly to PCI labs—decisions that saved lives. But the conversation also addresses the unseen weight of the job: PTSD, hard calls, and the gallows humor crews use to cope—along with the importance of compassion and awareness in public spaces. At its heart, this episode is about resilience, readiness, and showing up for your community when it matters most. 📌 Follow for more real stories from the people who quietly strengthen Lehi every day. 🏡 At Work Hard Mortgage, we believe in that same principle: stronger communities are built when people invest in each other and put down roots where they live. ⸻ ⏱ Key Moments in This Highlight Reel • 00:00 – Early Roots & Losing a Father • 00:32 – A Valentine’s Day Blind Date • 00:55 – Discovering a Medical Calling • 01:34 – Nursing During a Shortage • 02:12 – Fire/EMS Leadership Roles • 02:31 – High-Altitude Emergencies • 02:57 – Service-Minded Stories • 03:28 – Early EKG & PCI Innovations • 03:44 – A Child’s Heart Journey • 04:02 – Advice for Future EMS • 04:52 – PTSD & The Reality of Hard Calls • 05:13 – Understanding Gallows Humor ⸻ 👣 Related Topics: Trauma Nursing • Fire & EMS Leadership • First Responder Stories • PTSD Awareness • Mental Health in EMS • Congenital Heart Defects • Tetralogy of Fallot • Emergency Medicine Careers • CNA & EMT Pathways • Community Service Leadership • Roots and Branches of Lehi Podcast • Lehi Utah • Resilience Through Adversity • Medical Innovation in EMS ⸻ 📲 Take the 60-second Homebuyer Readiness Quiz — link in bio 🎧 Full conversation also in bio #RootsAndBranchesOfLehi #WorkHardMortgage #BuyAHomeBuildACommunity #LocalLeadership #LehiUtah #RealStoriesRealPeople
What this episode covers
🚑 From Small-Town Roots to Trauma Nursing & Fire/EMS Leadership | Service, Sacrifice & Resilience | Highlight Reel What shapes someone into a lifelong first responder? In this powerful highlight from Roots & Branches of Lehi, we hear the story of Rick Howard, a Southern California–born, Hawaii-raised nurse and Fire/EMS leader whose life was shaped by early loss, deep family bonds, and a calling to serve. After losing his father at a young age, he learned quickly how fragile life can be. Years later, a Valentine’s Day blind date in Lehi led to a 45-year marriage built on faith, perseverance, and love—even through the heartbreak of losing a baby and navigating a son’s complex congenital heart condition that required specialized expertise from around the world. Professionally, what began as others recognizing his aptitude for medicine evolved into decades of service—continuous certifications since 1985, trauma nursing during a critical shortage, and leadership roles in combined Fire/EMS systems. He shares stories of high-altitude emergencies, early EKG interpretation breakthroughs, and advocating to bypass local facilities to get heart attack patients directly to PCI labs—decisions that saved lives. But the conversation also addresses the unseen weight of the job: PTSD, hard calls, and the gallows humor crews use to cope—along with the importance of compassion and awareness in public spaces. At its heart, this episode is about resilience, readiness, and showing up for your community when it matters most. 📌 Follow for more real stories from the people who quietly strengthen Lehi every day. 🏡 At Work Hard Mortgage, we believe in that same principle: stronger communities are built when people invest in each other and put down roots where they live. ⸻ ⏱ Key Moments in This Highlight Reel • 00:00 – Early Roots & Losing a Father • 00:32 – A Valentine’s Day Blind Date • 00:55 – Discovering a Medical Calling • 01:34 – Nursing During a Shortage • 02:12 – Fire/EMS Leadership Roles • 02:31 – High-Altitude Emergencies • 02:57 – Service-Minded Stories • 03:28 – Early EKG & PCI Innovations • 03:44 – A Child’s Heart Journey • 04:02 – Advice for Future EMS • 04:52 – PTSD & The Reality of Hard Calls • 05:13 – Understanding Gallows Humor ⸻ 👣 Related Topics: Trauma Nursing • Fire & EMS Leadership • First Responder Stories • PTSD Awareness • Mental Health in EMS • Congenital Heart Defects • Tetralogy of Fallot • Emergency Medicine Careers • CNA & EMT Pathways • Community Service Leadership • Roots and Branches of Lehi Podcast • Lehi Utah • Resilience Through Adversity • Medical Innovation in EMS ⸻ 📲 Take the 60-second Homebuyer Readiness Quiz — link in bio 🎧 Full conversation also in bio #RootsAndBranchesOfLehi #WorkHardMortgage #BuyAHomeBuildACommunity #LocalLeadership #LehiUtah #RealStoriesRealPeople
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45 Years in EMS & Trauma Care
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