'No one gets left behind'

My name is Joel Gershon. I was born in Izmir, Turkey where my father, who was in the Air Force, was stationed. I moved to the states when I was 2 years old. I moved to Clovis when I was 16 years old and have been here since. I have been married to my wife Lisa for 20 years, 21 in December. We have three children: a daughter Aubrie, 18, and two sons Ethan, 16, and Noah, 13. I am a battalion chief and paramedic with the Clovis Fire Department. My career with the fire department began Oct. 9, 2002.

Tell us about your pets:

We have three dogs in our family. My wife has a Shih Tzu named Mitch. My oldest son wanted a bigger dog, so we bought him an English setter, named Dodge. My youngest felt like he needed a dog of his own, so we bought him a miniature Australian shepherd, named Tuck. Tuck and Dodge have become my dogs after new wore off for the boys. But it's OK, they are my buddies and we enjoy hanging out together.

How did you meet your spouse?

I moved to Clovis in July of 1995. One of my buddies from New York came to Clovis with me to help move. On the second day of being in Clovis we randomly met a couple of girls driving down the street who invited us to a party. We went to that party and Lisa was there. We talked a little that night and I saw her periodically throughout the rest of the summer. School started in August and I asked her if she would be my girlfriend. She said yes and we have been together ever since.

What is your theme song?

"No One Gets Left Behind" by Five Finger Death Punch. In my opinion, this song is the battle cry of every American firefighter. Firefighters will risk everything to make sure a victim or one of their own never gets left behind.

What do you hope your life will be like in 10 years?

In less than 10 years my wife and I will both be retired and all of the kids will be out of the house. I began to think about a second career a couple of years ago and started taking classes at Clovis Community College to get my degree as a radiology technician. I have all of my prerequisites done, now I just have to apply for the program. So in 10 years I see myself working at a hospital as a radiology technician a couple days per week. The rest of the time will be spent traveling and enjoying time with my wife.

If money were no object, what would you do to make eastern New Mexico a better place?

I would without question improve teacher pay and firefighter pay in eastern New Mexico. If money were no object and it was up to me, teachers would be paid as much as a doctor. If you think about it, a lot of us would not be where we are (professionally) if it were not for teachers. I may have a biased opinion, but I feel as though firefighters in eastern New Mexico are not fairly compensated for the jobs they do. For instance, did you know that every Clovis firefighter is also an EMT or paramedic? Each member of the fire department is responsible for both firefighting and emergency medical responses.

How would you like to be remembered?

I have never really given much thought on what my legacy would be or how I would be remembered when I'm gone. I would hope that my kids remember me as a loving dad who was willing to do anything to help them be successful in life. I hope my wife would remember how much I completely and emphatically adore her. I hope that I have made a lasting impact on my co-workers and have given them a good example of leadership.

What would you do if you won $1 million?

If I won $1 million, part of me would say spend it like there is no tomorrow. We love to travel, so I would take the family on an exotic adventure. Maybe a mom and dad getaway. Lisa and I really want a camper and a couple of 4-wheelers. Then there is the more rational part of me that says to put it into a relatively safe investment and live off of the gains.

Tell us about your favorite hobby.

I'm not sure I have one thing that I would call my hobby. There are plenty of things that I enjoy doing when I have free time. I love tinkering in my shop. Whether it's working on small engine repair or building something for my wife that she found on Pintrest, I just love being in the shop. Lisa and I both love to hike and will look for trails everywhere we travel. I enjoy exercising. I am a personal fitness trainer for the fire department and hold several fitness classes nearly every day of the month.

- Compiled by Staff Writer Jamie Cushman