Name, Age, City and State: Ben Bateman, 37 years, Phoenix, Az.

Job-title: Firefighter Paramedic

Web/blog site URL: www.MankindToons.com

Give us your job description in 25 words or less. My job consists of helping those who call 911 with an emergency. Itʼs usually a medical emergency, or a fire, but can be just about anything.

Describe a typical workday. I work 24 hours at a time. We always start the day by checking out our fire engine and all the equipment on it. We make sure everything is there, stocked, and working properly. We usually have some type of training. We take care of the Station as if it were our own home. Outside of this normal routine, we are always available for emergency calls that we respond to anytime of the day or night.

What led you to realize that you wanted to do this type of work? My Dad was a firefighter for 34 years, so I grew up around the fire service. Since I was young I wanted t be a fireman.

Did you have any heroes or mentors in your industry that you admired? My Dad is the one that got me interested, and over the years I got to know some great firefighters. Both of my Brothers, and my Sister in Law are firefighters so I have to admire what my family has done.

What type of education or training was required to land your job? First I started with a high school diploma. Then I got my Firefighter I & II Certification, along with my EMT License. The testing process you have to complete to become a firefighter consists of a written test, oral board interview, and a physical fitness test.

What do you love most about your job? One thing I have always liked about the fire service is that each day is different and we get the opportunity to help people when they are usually having a bad moment in their life.

What one part of your job do you wish you could hire someone else to do? If I had to pick I wouldnʼt mind if someone else would come in and clean the bathrooms of the fire station for us.

What advice would you give to teenagers wanting to get into your field of work? I always tell those interested to start preparing as soon as they can. They need to commit to giving it all theyʼve got. They need to focus on getting good grades and learning as much as they can in school.

How does our job allow you to use your God-given gifts? I get some time in between shifts to work on Mankind Toons. My job also gave me the idea to draw these cartoons hoping that people will enjoy my imagination, but follow the the Bible Verse. I know the Bible is the best guide for anyone who needs help.