SAC Fire Technology Student Saves a Life and Pursues His Calling
At 9:15 a.m. on Saturday, October 21, 2023, Jadon Van Voorhis was working at Grand Avenue Park in Chino Hills when he heard an urgent knock on the office door. A park patron was suffering from cardiac arrest. He and his co-worker sprinted across the park with an automated external defibrillator (AED) to assist a man on the ground, who was sweating profusely, pale and blue around the lips. Van Voorhis started chest compressions immediately, administered shocks with the AED, and delivered five to six rounds of CPR before firefighters arrived and were able to take over.
For his heroic actions that day, Van Voorhis was commended by the Rancho Santiago Community College Board of Trustees and Santa Ana College (SAC) President Dr. Annebelle Nery in April 2024.
“It was an honor to recognize Fire Technology student Jadon Van Voorhis for his recent heroic lifesaving efforts," said William Reardon, associate dean for the Fire Technology Department. “Those actions truly made a difference in a person's life. I had a chance to meet with Jadon and was very impressed with his desire to serve the public but in a very humble manner. He mentioned he was truly honored to receive recognition from the Rancho Santiago Community College District (RSCCD) Board of Trustees and SAC President Dr. Nery."
It comes as no surprise that Van Voorhis, who is currently in the Fire Technology program at SAC, dreams of becoming a firefighter. He discovered his calling to be a public servant when he and his family were taking care of his grandfather's health. The Fullerton Fire Department frequently responded to his family's calls for his grandfather, and he ended up building a connection with them. “That's when I started to realize these guys are here all the time helping my family out," he shared. “I want to do the same thing for other people and provide the same quality of care."
He is now working toward getting his certificate for public fire safety. He plans to focus on emergency medical technician (EMT) courses this semester, take the Biddle Physical Ability test in June, and complete his general education credits and Fire Tech classes in the fall, which will make him eligible to receive admittance to the Fire Academy.
Van Voorhis recalled how his journey at SAC started due to, what he calls, sheer serendipity. Toward the end of the school year, he was debating among three schools to attend when he met a former firefighter who had gone to one of the schools he was considering but switched to SAC's program and ended up loving it. Hearing from someone who had been through the whole program, worked in the field, and is now retired helped him make the choice to go to SAC.
He hopes to graduate from the Fire Academy by spring of 2025. Beyond that, Van Voorhis plans on attending a four-year college for nursing for the extra medical training to be a standout recruit in a competitive field and to have the qualifications to be a battalion chief or station captain someday.
