195. After 33 Years as a Firefighter | Sacrifice the Physical Toll and Transition Struggle

Matt Simkins

In episode 195 of the Transition Drill Podcast, retired firefighter-paramedic Matthew Simkins shares the winding path that led him to a 33-year career serving the community of Manhattan Beach, California. Growing up in the South Bay with deep family ties to the region, Matthew’s early life was marked by personal loss and uncertainty after the death of his father when he was just 14. Drifting through jobs and relationships, it wasn’t until his late twenties that he found direction in the fire service. Starting as a reserve firefighter, Matt worked his way up, eventually becoming a certified paramedic and earning a full-time position with his hometown department. Throughout his career, he served in multiple capacities, from emergency medical services and hazardous materials response to technical rescue and industrial firefighting training. While the job brought pride, purpose, and lifelong relationships, it also took a significant toll on his body and mind. As his career came to a close during the COVID-19 pandemic, Matthew faced the emotional and physical challenges of transition. Letting go of his paramedic certification in 2022 marked the true end of his time in the field. Today, Matthew stays connected through teaching life support and CPR, offering lessons learned to help others navigate their own transitions from service to civilian life.

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Growing up in the coastal community of Manhattan Beach, California, Matt Simkins never imagined himself in the fire service. While many first responders find their calling early in life, Matt's path was anything but direct. Raised in a household with deep roots in the South Bay—his family tracing back to the late 1800s—Matthew’s early life revolved around the ocean, sports, and a tight-knit family. His father worked for Standard Oil in El Segundo, following in the footsteps of previous generations. His older brother excelled in academics, setting a high bar as an educator. Matthew, by his own admission, wasn’t quite sure where he fit.

As a teenager, life threw him an unexpected curveball. His father, a World War II Navy veteran, passed away when Matt was just 14 years old. The loss not only fractured the family dynamic but also left Matt without the guidance he would later realize he desperately needed. Though he continued through high school, participating in sports and spending time at the beach, his academic focus suffered. College seemed like the natural next step, but without direction, it felt more like an obligation than a goal.

Throughout his twenties, Matt floated between jobs—waiting tables, working as a fitness instructor, and even trying to help his then-wife launch a small business. Despite these efforts, he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was missing. The first spark came through a casual suggestion from a friend: apply to become a paramedic with Los Angeles City Fire. Inspired by the idea of public service but facing resistance at home, Matthew shelved the thought. His wife at the time discouraged the move, claiming the job would change him for the worse. For a while, he listened.

It wasn’t until the end of that relationship and a return to his mother’s house that the fire service reappeared on his radar. His mother handed him a local newspaper ad from the Beach Reporter seeking reserve, or “paid call,” firefighters for the Manhattan Beach Fire Department. It felt like a sign. Encouraged by a childhood friend already working in the fire service, Matthew applied. He completed the required physical agility tests, aced the interviews, and was selected alongside ten other recruits.

The role wasn’t full-time, but it placed Matt in uniform, responding to calls in the very community where he grew up. He learned the fundamentals—how to pull hose lines, tie knots, and work as part of a team. While the official firefighter academy was still in his future, Matt was finally in the environment he’d been unknowingly searching for. It was a start, but he quickly learned that to truly make a career out of it, he needed to take another step: becoming a certified Emergency Medical Technician (EMT).

Matthew enrolled in the inaugural EMT program at El Camino College and began working for Adams Ambulance, responding to emergency calls in some of Los Angeles County’s busiest neighborhoods. This experience introduced him to the realities of pre-hospital care and laid the foundation for what would become a 33-year career serving as a firefighter-paramedic. The journey had officially begun. After gaining experience on the ambulance in some of L.A. County’s roughest areas, he realized that if he wanted a future in the fire service, he needed to go further. That meant one thing: becoming a paramedic.

Matt enrolled in the paramedic program at Daniel Freeman Hospital, the birthplace of California’s paramedic system. This wasn’t just another certification. It was an intensive commitment that tested him academically, physically, and emotionally. He pushed through, earning his paramedic license, and eventually returned to Adams Ambulance as one of their first 911 paramedics in the city of Lynwood. Working there provided real-world, high-pressure experience that solidified his skills and prepared him for the next step—getting hired full-time by a fire department. That opportunity came when the Manhattan Beach Fire Department, his hometown agency, opened a recruitment for full-time firefighter-paramedics. Matthew was ready. He competed, succeeded, and was hired. His dream had become a reality. He would spend the next three decades working on the very streets he had grown up on.

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Throughout his career, Matthew wore multiple hats—firefighter, paramedic, hazmat operator, technical rescue technician, and even department instructor. Manhattan Beach was small in size but high in demand, with its proximity to the oil refinery in El Segundo, coastal hazards, and neighboring communities. From structural fires to medical calls, surf rescues to hazardous material responses, Matthew and his team did it all.

He trained with agencies across the region, including specialized industrial fire training at Texas A&M’s world-class firefighting facility, thanks to partnerships with the El Segundo refinery. He participated in joint operations with lifeguards, neighboring fire departments, and law enforcement agencies, building critical mutual aid relationships. One standout memory was working with Chevron’s Emergency Response Team, honing his skills in industrial firefighting, high-angle rescues, and confined space operations—assignments he admitted didn’t always excite him initially but proved invaluable over time.

Yet, behind the successes, there were personal and professional challenges. One of the most difficult was his attempt to promote to the rank of Captain. He went through the process, studied relentlessly, and gave it his all. However, the promotion eluded him. While disappointing, Matthew carried on, continuing to lead by example as a senior firefighter-paramedic, mentoring younger personnel and sharing his hard-earned knowledge.

As the years went on, the job began to take a toll on his body. The cumulative wear and tear of lifting patients, hauling equipment, crawling through smoke-filled buildings, and enduring the mental stress of high-stakes emergencies began to add up. Back pain, joint issues, and other physical limitations started to emerge. But Matthew, like so many first responders, pushed through. The mission always came first. He spoke of the unique mental burden carried by firefighters—how certain sounds, smells, and even brief moments could trigger memories of past calls. It’s a silent cost of service that many outside the profession rarely understand. Matthew carried those moments with him, a constant reminder of the lives saved and the ones lost.

Still, there were bright spots. He reflected on the camaraderie within the firehouse—the shared meals, the practical jokes, the unbreakable bonds forged through adversity. Those relationships, built over years of working 24-hour shifts together, became family. The firehouse wasn’t just where he worked; it was where he belonged. But as his body began to break down and the reality of the physical demands weighed heavier each year, Matthew knew the end of his career was approaching. The fire service had shaped him, challenged him, and in many ways, defined him. But the clock doesn’t stop for anyone. His days in the firehouse were numbered.

After three decades of dedication to the fire service, Matt knew his body was signaling the end. Years of firefighting, paramedic work, and technical rescue had taken their toll. The physical demands that once felt routine had become painful reminders that he couldn’t do the job forever. In 2020, with the world locked down during the COVID-19 pandemic, Matthew decided it was time to hang up his helmet.

While the decision to retire seemed logical on the surface, the emotional reality was much harder to accept. His identity had long been tied to his role as a firefighter-paramedic. The fire service wasn’t just a career—it was a purpose. Walking away meant leaving behind the relationships, the adrenaline, and the sense of mission that had defined much of his adult life. Even after retirement, he held onto his paramedic certification, renewing it one last time as a way of keeping the door slightly open. But when that certification came up for renewal again in 2022, Matthew made the painful decision to let it lapse. It was official—his days in uniform were over.

Retirement, however, didn’t come with a road map. Like many first responders facing life after service, Matthew struggled with the mental and emotional adjustment. He was physically limited, mentally stagnant, and unsure of what came next. The pandemic only amplified the isolation. Gone were the daily challenges of emergency response and the constant interaction with the public and his crew.

But in time, opportunities emerged. Matthew was invited to teach CPR and basic life support at UCLA’s Center for Prehospital Care. It wasn’t the firehouse, but it gave him a new mission: passing on his knowledge to the next generation. Teaching allowed him to stay connected to the world of emergency medical services, giving him purpose and routine once again. He even considered returning to teach in a paramedic program but learned that reentering that space would require passing the National Registry exam—a process he compared to taking the bar exam. Given his physical limitations and the reality that he could no longer work in the field, Matthew chose not to pursue recertification.

Looking back, Matthew admitted he could have been better prepared for retirement. The abrupt shift from an active career to the uncertainty of civilian life caught him off guard. Like many firefighters, police officers, EMTs, soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines, he had focused so much on the mission that he hadn’t given enough thought to life after service. It’s a familiar story across the veteran and first responder communities—when the uniform comes off, what’s next?

Today, Matthew continues to share his experience through teaching and conversations with those still in the profession. He remains an advocate for preparing early, building post-career skills, and staying mentally engaged. The physical scars of his career remain, but so does the pride in knowing he served his community with everything he had. Though he no longer rides the rig, Matthew Simkins carries the lessons of his service with him, proving that while the career may end, the impact never does.

The go-to podcast for military veterans, police officers, firefighters, EMTs, and first responders preparing for life after service. Hosted by Paul Pantani—a retired law enforcement leader with 30+ years of experience—Transition Drill features candid conversations with veterans from every military branch, as well as law enforcement professionals navigating career change, retirement, and the transition to civilian life. Guests share stories of mental health, post-traumatic growth, job search strategies, and what it really takes to succeed after the uniform. Whether you're transitioning from policing, firefighting, or military service, this podcast will help you lead the next chapter with clarity and confidence.

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