CoM’s Uncut Diamonds
Holding on to talented new faculty is like juggling hot coals: their talent makes them hot commodities, and departments across the Bay Area are scooping them up as fast as we train them. This goes for our alumni, faculty, and our faculty alums.
The sadness of seeing them leave the nest isoverwhelmed by pride, watching my students catch the wind of their destinies.
Alumnus Kevin Olson now works as EMT supervisor at Sonoma Fire in their EMS Life Support division.
Though working full-time in a busy 911 system, Kevin still finds evenings and days when he can lecture or teach skills either at CoM or Novato High
The program has been years in devising; an ingenius way to begin one’s career with any department is to simply say “yes” when asked to participate in a chief’s passion project. They will be remembered ever thus.
Anai Tene: College of Marin’s & the F.I.R.E. Foundry’s Shining Star
To take credit for Ms. Tene’s education is like claiming responsibility for an eclipse. Both are astounding, timeless, and destined to occur rarely.
The best we can do is claim that we saw her early on and gave her tools. After that, she navigated the heavenly bodies entirely on her own.
Following graduation from our Fire Technology program, Anai has worked for Royal Ambulance, the San Francisco Airport, San Leandro Emergency, and even NASA, as a topographic/weather interpreter, spotting forest fires from orbiting satellite imagery.
If all goes well, Ms. Tene commences employment at the San Francisco Fire Department in March, working on the ambulance for one of the busiest 911 systems in the country. All the credit we can take can be summed up by the phrase: “I knew she was a dynamo even back when she was my student, then co-worker.”
Two of our graduates—Berlyn Varagas and Miguel Samayoa (left and right bookends, respectively)— are spearheading San Rafael Fire’s pilot EMS ambulance wing.
The Marin County Fire Seasonals 2024
〰️
The Marin County Fire Seasonals 2024 〰️
A few of our exceptional cadets were chosen to serve as seasonal firefighters with Marin County. Their dedication and determination have proven to be invaluable assets to one of California's most prestigious fire departments.
This season’s Marin County Seasonal Firefighters consisted of no less than seven graduates from College of Marin’s Fire Technology Program.
Several other alumni are currently working wildland fire positions throughout California.
The Seybold Brothers (Gavrie, left, Tristan, right) proudly show their father—retired Fire/Medic and CoM Fire Tech Instructor Mike Seybold —that firefighting is a family affair.
Tristan Seybold is pictured on the left, and brother Gavrie Seybold on the right
