How would you describe your job? I'm a shift commander, so I'm in charge of the shift when I'm on duty. There are three battalion chiefs, because we have three different shifts. As battalion chief I coordinate firefighting activities, training and various administrative duties.

(ENLARGE)

Todd Winslow, age 39 Hertford Firefighter, Battalion Chief EC Fire Department, 19 years with department

Has your job been affected by changes in technology or other changes? When I started, the trucks didn't have any computers. Now everything's got computers. Another big area is in our protective gear. It costs a lot of money, but our guys are much better protected now than they were 15, 20 years ago. One of the biggest technological (innovations) is the thermal imaging camera. It's a camera that picks up infrared heat so that when we go into a smoke-filled environment we can look through that camera and pick up if there are any people in that particular (area).

Besides salary, what benefits do you derive from your work? Retirement, 401(k), health and dental insurance.

What are the long-term or indirect benefits of your job? We arrive at a scene of an out-of-control situation and we bring that scene under control, regardless of whether it's a car wreck, a fire, somebody trapped, whatever.

How do you see your job benefiting the larger community? Protecting lives and property when a disaster occurs, number one. But also through fire prevention and the education programs, hopefully preventing some of these fires. We do a tremendous amount of education through the school system and through education programs all through the year.

— Diana Mazzella