363. “The First Whip” - Eric Guida

Retiring as a Captain with the Sacramento, CA Fire Department after 30 years of service, Eric Guida cannot shake his love for the job. Spending 15 years as a firefighter before he promoted, this veteran firefighter loved nothing more than the nozzle position on the engine. But he realized over time that in order to make change and to have greater influence, he needed a seat at the table. Promoting to Captain and finding his way back to Engine 6 where he rode as a firefighter was a tremendous joy for him. Eric had the opportunity to make great strides in engine company operations. The engine is his true love. During his tenure, he was apart of the USAR team as well, being deployed to Oklahoma City, OK in 1995, the Atlanta, GA Olympic Bombing in 1996 and September 11, 2001 in NYC. He has been on the front lines across the country and reflects how each incident has shaped him as a person. Through all the tough times, there is still tremendous joy from what the job has provided for Eric. Today, he works as the Sales Director for HEN Nozzles, traveling the country educating firefighters about this new product that is quickly gaining worldwide attention. Eric’s passion and love for the job is evident in everything he does and he is not slowing down anytime soon.