Thanks are Reward Enough for Veteran Firefighter

Every week New Tampa Patch introduces one of our local first responders. This week it is Capt. Tim Murphy of Station 20 in New Tampa.

Murphy has only been at Station 20 for a little more than four months, but he brings 24 years of experience fighting fires in Hillsborough County with him. He is a Tampa native, having graduated from Chamberlain High School.

New Tampa Patch caught up with Murphy at the station.

Patch: What made you want to become a firefighter?

Murphy: I was over at a buddy's house when I was about 26 years old. Another friend of mine, Phil Arminger was a volunteer firefighter at the time. His pager went off and I went with him to a call at the Temple Terrace station and I was hooked.

Patch: What was the most harrowing experience you've had on the job?

Murphy: One of them was a car accident we were called out to near Bayshore in South Tampa. These kids must have been racing or something, judging by the intensity of the impact and the distance that the car skid. The two kids in the back were seriously injured. I felt one of them for a pulse and the pulse was so weak, I turned to my captain at the time and said, "I don't think this one's going to make it." Before I turned back around, the kid grabbed my arm.

Patch: What was the most rewarding experience on the job?

Murphy: I can't pin one down in particular but saving a kid and having them come back to the station to thank you; that's the most rewarding thing.

Patch: What do you do to decompress after a shift?

Murphy: Try to go to sleep. But then you can't sleep all day. That's probably the hardest part of the job; leaving it at the station.

Patch: What do you enjoy about working in New Tampa?

Murphy: This is the most appreciative area I have ever worked in. The people are friendly. I think they are more appreciative of what we do.

Patch: If you weren't a firefighter, what would you be doing?

Murphy: I'd probably have a pest control business.