The holidays are a time of joy and gratitude. So many people work hard to give back through donations or community service, but what about those who give back to their community every single day? We're talking about the heroes who wear capes in the form of scrubs, vests, and bunk gear. Our firefighters, nurses, police officers and EMTs work hard to ensure our neighborhoods are safe for everyone this time of year, including Santa Claus. Without them, there would not be Christmas which is why we wanted to take the time to shine a light on a few members who deserve some recognition.
Christina Loyd
Local police officer Christina Loyd has been with her department for over a year. “I’ve wanted to be a police officer since I was in the eighth grade,” Loyd said about what drew her to this profession. Her career began as a correctional deputy from 2019-2022 before moving to Texas where she worked in dispatch before continuing her way to patrol. She loves her role as a police officer, but in a few years, she hopes to fulfill her goal of becoming a criminal investigator. During the holidays, the most important thing to Loyd is her family. Her favorite memory is playing bingo and other games with her family on Christmas Eve.
Shelby Meador
“I love what I do,” Shelby Meador, a labor and delivery nurse, explained. “I’m there for people on the best days of their life and sometimes the worst days.” Meador has been a nurse for seven years but her love for the medical field has been a longstanding passion. The choice to enter labor and delivery came after hearing all kinds of stories from a family friend. Meador was also present for many hospital visits after her grandmother was diagnosed with cancer. The two experiences helped shape her perspective on how she could best serve her community. Her goal now is to continue doing what she loves in the hospital that she loves. Even if that means celebrating the holidays on random days–as long as she is surrounded by her family, she’s happy.
Sam Johnson
Sam Johnson joined the local fire department in 2018. He became a firefighter in 2005 right out of high school, encouraged by his father who helped him decide between fire service or the military. He’s currently a Captain of his department as well as the Association President. While he loves his work in the field, he knows that there is more that he can do behind the scenes. That’s why he plans to continue growing with his department but has plans for running for a local office one day soon. “I can make a big difference for the fire service by being in an elected position in the future,” he said about his newfound passion for politics. Though he isn’t big on the holidays, personally, Johnson does enjoy making sure that Santa stays on the Christmas truck!
Josh Esquivel
Why did Josh Esquivel become a firefighter? To make his children proud of him. Esquivel had been working in hotels before making the professional switch. He explained that he’s always maintained a sense of service and to this day still wants to provide that service to his community. A big part of being able to do that includes continued education. Esquivel said that he is invested in his department and that whatever it takes to grow it, and his community, he will do. When asked what his favorite holiday tradition was, Esquivel had two very distinct answers. “Family and tamales,” he laughed. For Esquivel, family is everything. Two of his sons plan to follow in his footsteps and become firefighters as well. As far as he is concerned, that is the greatest gift of all.