The life of a public safety professional can be exciting, dangerous, and at times, life-threatening. In addition to these realities, it can also be rewarding.
That is especially true when it comes to Milwaukee Firefighter David Barbian.
The father of four, who is also an ER nurse at Columbia St. Mary’s Hospital, was instrumental in saving the life of a young boy who had gone into diabetic shock on a mountain in the Denali National Forest in Alaska.
It was nothing new for Barbian.
He had recently performed CPR on a woman who had collapsed while on a cruise in the Caribbean, while David was on vacation.
A life in public safety is part of David’s DNA.
“As long as I can make their lives a little better, or make a difference, that’s why I do it,” Barbian said.
His fiancee, Brittany Schmidt, describes him this way.
“He’s always a firefighter, 24/7, that’s just who he is. He misses dance recitals, lacrosse games, birthdays and holidays because of his job, but he shows our children what it means to lead by example.”
For his incredible commitment as a firefighter and public safety professional, David Barbian is our Salute to Service honoree.
To hear David Barbian’s story, listen above.
Steve Scaffidi’s Salute to Service is presented by WaterStone Bank and WTMJ.