Alex Sviridovich

Meet Alex Sviridovich, probationary Firefighter and EMT. Alex was born and raised in Tacoma. He grew up in an immigrant household: his parents came from Ukraine. Family is very important to Alex. He graduated from the Fire Academy in the summer of 2020 and has been in the fire service for three years with most of his time spent at Port Ludlow Fire & Rescue.

He decided to become a firefighter after he went on a ride-a-long in 2015. He says the experience was memorable and he knew then what he wanted to do for a career. After applying to Port Ludlow Fire, he started as a volunteer and eventually became a Resident in November of 2019. PLF&R Lieutenant Alex Kosiuga was instrumental in his applying to the program.

He says the things he likes best about his job are that you work hard, it’s a rewarding career, and you get to work with a wide range of skilled individuals. He describes driving a firetruck as “one of the best things in the world.” The hardest part of the job is absorbing all the knowledge that comes with the job. He wants to be good at what he does, and he tries to stay on top of the training he is given. His most memorable positive experience happened when he was new to the job. His crew was called to a fire at the Nordland General Store. The teamwork and tactics were successful, and all his training was put to use. He said he was with two very competent team members, and he remembers the call very well.

He would like to grow in his responsibilities, continue learning, and eventually be a person who other firefighters look up to. When asked about what people may not know about him, he says he is pretty open, but admits to being a below-average recreational ice hockey player with a “decent slap shot.”

Alex is a delightful young man, and an asset to Port Ludlow Fire & Rescue.

This article was previously published in the June 2022 edition of the Port Ludlow Voice