We recently connected with Michael Prigmore and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Michael thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Was there a moment in your career that meaningfully altered your trajectory? If so, we’d love to hear the backstory.

My worst day at work, but finding where God really lives, defining moment happened 11 years ago, 2/24/2011, my crew and I at HFD District 83 responded to a house fire. Only this one was converted into a daycare. 7 kids were trapped in the home when the call was dispatched. I was on Squad 83, we jumped on the call when we heard what was happening. Fortunately for us being in a Squad we were able to quickly clear the call we were on so that we could be in position to respond to a call like this one. It was a nightmare just as it sounded on the radio, the scene was surreal, something like being dropped in the middle of a Rob Zombie movie, you couldn’t make up a story that bad. I ran up and grabbed the first baby that was in the fire being brought out and me and my guys did straight work. She was a beautiful little girl badly burned around 70% who was apnic and pulseless. At one point I looked up and there were multiple other kids with my friends doing CPR on them in the front yard. The depth of what was happening right in front of me didn’t register as fast as I was needing to act to do my job. I guess I was in shock, screaming for her to start breathing, screaming for God to help us. I could barely see because the tears just kept flowing I couldn’t stop them, I couldn’t undo what was already done. As good of a job that we were able to do, the best that anyone could possibly do in the world given that situation, 4 kids died that day. Behind these eyes I’ve been able to put on shelves, in the back a lot of images, senses, smells, and over the years the edges of these kinds of calls have blurred together. A few of them still stand out, this one is one of the few calls that I can remember every second of. I still feel a sense of pride that the one child that I was treating had a good result and the parents have stayed in touch with me through the years. Wished I could’ve done more, I wished we could have been called 10 minutes earlier. My Faith, unwavering love, and being blessed to be the cog in God’s ultimate plan has always been an honor, with a lifetime full of mistakes and stumbling along often you question if you do anything right, thank God on this one day I did.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am Michael Prigmore, by trade I am a Captain Paramedic for the Houston Fire Department, husband, and father. I grew up in a small Texas town of Navasota TX, today I live in Houston TX. I’ve been a High School Coach and a History Teacher, and also a personal trainer during the years before I got hired in the Fire Service. I remember when going through college at Sam Houston State University to finish my student teaching before going into the workforce when the events of 9/11/2001 happened. Nothing inspired my life more than feeling helpless after those events and watching the attacks live and the fallout from that. I never wanted to get a job helping people more than at that time, but I was in debt with college loans and about to finish my Batchelor of Science in teaching so I went ahead and went into the education route for a year before I set out to change careers. That next spring in 2004, I was at the Academy as a HFD Recruit and the rest is pretty much history. The job itself is extremely rewarding, it can be hard with the things we see, the long shifts, bureaucratic and political mess, but the training is exceptional, imagine having the worst situations any one of us can face, chaos, tragedy, trauma, and one of us can handle that, and be that one calm professional and steady leader to mitigate the problem, or situations whether it be a medical emergency, a multiple vehicle incident, or a structure fire, and take care of the people. We can’t undo what has happened, but you can give people in the pre-hospital setting the best chances for survival. I’m most proud of the ultimate positive impact that we have on lives when we save a life. I’ve experienced that a few times, and nothing compares, no thank you is more sincere than when a child thanks you for saving their life. My drive, passion for helping others, the work ethic to do the sets and reps, and a work-life balance where I have a place at home where you can find peace from the stresses and trauma we experience. Exercise and fitness has been my primary outlet to also complete the Triad of health of mind, body, and spirit. I am an Ambassador for Tuff Wraps – promotional code PRIGMORETUFF as well as a Tier Operator for Redcon1 – promotional code T20Michaelpri.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

For my work I’ve had the misfortune of some incredible injuries. I’ve had 6 surgeries over the 18 year career. Injuries like a patellar tendon rupture in 2007, to the SLAP Type II Shoulder tear of 2010, the hamstring tear of 2013, or lastly the lower leg break in 2014, that qualified as an IED blast injury and the US Department of Defense funded and researched for our US Military returning from active duty with these same injuries. Each time I made remarkable comebacks, that last one my original prognosis was rather grim, but I didn’t know any better. I was told I would be lucky to walk normal ever again, much less work or workout. Resilience is a big part of who I am and what I do, get knocked down 7 times and get back up 8. I made it back to active duty after 3 surgeries, the skin and tissue grafts, and the rod, screws, and plates installed in 11 months. Then I proceeded to save lives during Hurricane Harvey and recently promoted to Captain.

Putting training and knowledge aside, what else do you think really matters in terms of succeeding in your field?

Perseverance… In this business we get to see it all. No doubt at times it will take its toll, and even on the strongest people I’ve ever known. Understand that whatever you’re going through, highs or lows, is a cycle, and a process. You see it more for what it is as we grow from what we’ve experienced, that’s the main way we learn and grow. But the fortitude to plow forward towards positive progress and the guts to persevere will lead you to that growth, positive, and peace that we all strive for and need. You just have to know that it will be there on the other end.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: mprigmore77
• Facebook: Michael Prigmore
• Linkedin: http://linkedin.com/in/michael-prigmore-8033796b
• Twitter: @prigmoremvp77
• Other: www.redcon1.com/?aff -T20Michaelpri www.tuffwraps.com?rfsn – PRIGMORETUFF