Heroes Who Serve: 5 First Responders Keeping Nevada Safe

Nevada is home to dedicated first responders who go above and beyond to keep their communities safe. That’s why Patch and T-Mobile have teamed up to spotlight EMTs, firefighters and police officers who are making a difference every day.

Check out five outstanding Nevada first responders who are making an impact. And if you know a hero who deserves recognition, we want to hear about them! Click here to nominate a first responder for a chance to be featured in our Heroes Who Serve series on Patch!

Detective Nathaniel Drum and Officer Damian Garcia (Las Vegas) — When gunfire erupted at UNLV on Dec. 6, 2023, Detective Nathaniel Drum and Officer Damian Garcia ran toward the threat, not away from it. Their quick response under pressure helped contain the violence and protect countless lives during one of the darkest days on campus. For their extraordinary courage, both were honored with the prestigious Award for Valor from the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators. Their recognition by IACLEA places them among a select group of campus officers nationwide honored for exceptional bravery in the line of duty. Read more here.

Firefighter Sadie Perkins (Las Vegas) — In 2023, at just 19 years old, Sadie Perkins became the only woman in her fire academy class—and one of just three women in the entire North Las Vegas Fire Department. Though firefighting wasn’t her original plan, the moment she stepped into a firehouse, she knew she’d found her place. After completing 20 weeks of intense training, Perkins has proven she can meet the same demanding standards as her peers — hauling ladders, running drills and pushing through exhaustion without missing a beat. Now serving full time, she continues to break barriers not by asking for exceptions, but by rising to every challenge head-on. Read more here.

Firefighter Travis Boggs (Carson City) — Captain Travis Boggs has built a career on action and compassion, from being nominated for two Life Saving Awards to stepping up in some of the nation’s most destructive disasters. One of those nominations came after he rushed to help a teenager with severe head trauma in 2008, responding to a father’s cries for help and coordinating an airlift that saved the boy’s life. That same instinct to act carried into early 2024, when Boggs joined a Nevada strike team deployed to Southern California, where he spent two weeks on the front lines of the Eaton Fire, working 24-hour shifts to clear roads, remove debris and support displaced residents. For Boggs, the job doesn’t end when the flames are out — it’s about standing with people through every stage of the disaster. Read more here.

Firefighter Robert Uszynski (Henderson) — Nearly a decade after receiving a Red Cross Everyday Hero Award for saving a young girl’s life at a public pool, Captain Robert Uszynski continues to embody the spirit of service that defines Nevada’s fire community. Most recently, he was among the Henderson firefighters deployed to assist with emergency response efforts during the devastating Lahaina Fire in Hawaii. His willingness to step up in high-stakes, out-of-state crises reflects a long-standing commitment to protecting others, whether off-duty at a local pool or on the front lines of a wildfire. Read more here.

Training Instructor Rebecca Carmody (Clark County) — Rebecca Carmody, a training instructor with the Clark County Fire Department, was honored with the 2023 Stand and Deliver Award for her innovative EMS education presentation, “EMS: Caught on Camera.” A sixth-generation firefighter and paramedic with 23 years of field experience, Carmody has spent the past decade shaping the next generation of EMS professionals. Her course emphasized communication, empathy and self-awareness by using real-time recordings to help providers improve their tone, body language and patient rapport. Carmody’s leadership has transformed training for over 1,000 Clark County EMS providers, reinforcing her mission to create the kind of impactful education she always wished for. Read more here.

We’re fortunate in Nevada to have first responders like these working tirelessly to keep us safe. If you know a local hero who deserves recognition, we want to hear about them! Click here to nominate them to be featured on Patch!