CAS CONNECT 2013

15 As one of the first to arrive in Moore after the tornado hit on May 20, Rodney Foster helped rescue people from under the rubble and contained a natural gas leak that could have led to a disas- ter of its own. Foster is a training major for the Midwest City Fire Department. He develops curriculums and trains emer- gency response personnel to help people when a crisis strikes. He makes sure that firefighters adhere to guide- lines, including those from OSHA, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Foster also steps in when his fellow firefighters are not at the station. “I often take their place on the fire engine, and that was the case on the day of the tornado in Moore,” he says. Foster has been involved in five major disaster relief efforts, including the May 3, 1999, tornado that hit Moore. Despite having seen the destruction of that 1999 tornado in Moore, Foster was in awe from the latest strike. “I had a feeling of what I would see when I was called out, but I was still shocked. The looks in victims’ eyes were compelling,” he says. A desire to help people in need combined with a team environment and a taste for the rush of adrenaline common for first responders led Foster to choose this line of work. Foster earned a master’s degree in fire and emergency management administra- tion this summer from OSU. The program has encour- aged him to view his work with a holistic approach and consider all aspects of a disaster. He better under- stands how victims react and what they’re going through in trying times, he says. As a t ra i n i ng ma jor for the Midwest Ci ty Fi re Depar tment , Rodney Foster i s of ten one of the f i rst responders to d i sasters such as the Moore tornado. continues Brandon Kobs / Kobra Creative Stage 1 — Emergency and first response