Scott Arthur spent his first few hours as a paramedic performing CPR and helping save the life of a patient suffering cardiac arrest.
That same evening — still day one on the job — the 19-year-old was called to remove the bodies of two dead children from a vehicle.
By the end of a day of severe highs and lows, the longtime Snowmass Village resident and paramedic “had fallen in love” with the field.
“It was just exhilarating. You know, you’re 19 years old and someone who literally was dead is now alive because of something that you did,” Arthur said. “That kind of carried me through the pain of seeing two dead children, and realizing that that’s as good as it gets and that’s as bad as it gets. … I know the rest of my career is going to fall somewhere between these two points.”
Arthur will retire today from his role as captain and medical coordinator at the Snowmass fire district, where he’s helped protect the community for nearly 30 years.