John is the kind of person you want around when things turn south: He’s a wilderness Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), certified in both crevasse and swift water rescue, and a former firefighter. That’s why Booz Allen hired him to the Security Services Team in the Business Assurance Office (BAO), the firm’s emergency management and safety preparedness division.
In addition to John’s day-to-day responsibilities, which include building evacuation programs, training employees in CPR and first aid, and maintaining automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in our facilities, he travels to the firm’s offices worldwide to review emergency procedures specific to each location with local leaders. John’s itinerary might just rival that of our CEO: In this year alone, he’s traveled to offices in Seoul, Okinawa, Singapore, Chicago, Austin, Albuquerque, Denver, Redbank, Anchorage, Panama City, Clearfield, and Seattle.
What have you learned from traveling around the globe to different Booz Allen offices?
There’s nothing we can’t do. In Singapore, we’re focused on commercial and IT work; in Panama City, we have folks in welding shops building pieces for hover crafts; in Anchorage, we are teaching service members how to avoid improvised explosive devices (IEDs). The breadth of our firm’s work is incredible.
I also get to learn about the unique environments and geographies in which the firm operates. For example, the air quality is very poor in Seoul. I noticed it as soon as I got off my plane. We talked about that when I met with the local leaders, which resulted in the firm purchasing air filtration masks for Korea-based employees.
What brought you to Booz Allen and what keeps you here?
I wanted a hands-on job where I could solve problems. Booz Allen’s Security Services Team is the perfect fit for an adventure junkie like me—I wake up every day not knowing what my workday will bring. During Hurricane Michael last year, I traveled to our Panama City office to help with relief for our employees located there. The devastation was worse than the news coverage portrayed. Every tree was down, and almost every house for 30 miles had its roof damaged or missing. I coordinated equipment and volunteers, and I mapped routes for them to get to employees’ homes. I’m impressed by the commitment I see from our leadership to help our people and communities—it’s not just talk.
What drew you to work in emergency services?
It’s a privilege to get to help people on their worst days––sometimes the worst of their lives––and to lighten their load even just a little bit. That’s the best part of the job and my motivation.
Finish this sentence: The future is…
Wide open and unpredictable. Bring it on!
