Firefighter Brian Marcos: Cross-training on the job and off

City of Smyrna Firefighter Brian Marcos is honored here as the “Hero of the Week” by the “Smyrna Auction for Heroes Gala” Committee.

Brian Marcos wears many hats with the .  He is an engineer, firefighter, and paramedic. He was influenced to become a firefighter, he said, by two Cobb County basketball coaches who “happened to be firefighters.” Marcos was struck by their enthusiasm for firefighting, which he noticed every time they talked about it.

But it took him awhile to figure that out.

It wasn’t until he got older and started a family, he said, “that the appeal became greater.” Marcos is a five-year veteran, married, with three children. Beyond the internal satisfaction of giving back to the community, Marcos said he was also attracted by the job’s retirement benefits and shift schedules, which “freed up time” to pursue other activities, such as coaching.

Marcos likens firefighters to medical specialists. Just as doctors require increasingly specialized education and training — and it’s rare for any one doctor to be expert in more than one area — firefighters, too, undergo rigorous training to become specialists in their fields. Marcos’ training includes as a firefighter, paramedic, Fire Instructor I, Hazmat Technician, National Professional Qualification (NPQ) 1 Evaluator and smoke diver. 

 In fact the training actually never ends, Marcos said. Each day brings new learning possibilities. And the 12-hour shifts can be difficult for firefighters’ families.

“The job requires some sacrifice,” Marcos said. “And nothing I have been able to accomplish would have been possible without my wife’s encouragement and support.”

One of the achievements of which the firefighter is most proud came when he passed his paramedic class.

“I was never the most studious when I attended my formal education,” Marcos said.

Being out of school for some time made him a little nervous. Successfully completing the class felt like “a highlight of my career,” he said. 

Like many of his colleagues, he values the Smyrna Public Safety Foundation-funded holiday program for underprivileged children known as Maybe even a little more, because he came from a similar background.

“Growing up I didn’t have the opportunity to give gifts,” Marcos said.

When he watches the children purchase gifts for family members, and not just themselves, he’s especially grateful.

“Seeing the kids’ faces makes the whole process worth it,” he said.