“I would see an ambulance and paint this vivid picture in my head of where they were going with those flashy lights and loud sirens. I used to want to follow them everywhere they went. After growing up in a home full of nurses, I knew EMS was my calling,” she said.

It is a career she enjoys because it allows her to meet and interact with so many people every day.

“Most days are tough, but there is always that one person that makes all those hard days worth it. And most of all, I get to help people,” said Whitney.

When she is not at work, Whitney enjoys spending time with her husband and two boys, whom she describes as “the most important thing.”

For others considering a career in EMS, Whitney has sound advice.

“Make sure EMS is really what you want to do. Educate yourself on what the job really entitles, and go for it. It’s an awesome profession, but it’s hard. Most days are rough days. Most calls aren’t those emergencies we all hear about in school. We don’t save lives every day. We see the good and the bad. Remember this isn’t just a job, it’s truly a calling. It takes a special kind of person to do what we do every day,” she said.