Occupation: I'm a lieutenant for the City of Norwalk Fire Department. This past April marked 15 years I've been there. From a pretty young age, I knew I wanted to do it, because my father and my uncle were firefighters in Norwalk. Originally, after my first year of college, I joined the Army National Guard as a combat medic for the infantry. When I got home I went to paramedic school and worked as a paramedic for a while. Then while I was taking tests to be a firefighter, I started back at college at WestConn. Two months after I got hired at Norwalk I got my bachelor's degree there. About six years later I went back to school for my master's in organizational communication and leadership. Then in 2011, I got promoted to lieutenant. A friend of mine and I also own our own company doing interview and study prep for people that want to be firefighters and for firefighters who want to obtain a promotion.

Family: My wife Janelle and I have three boys. Mitchell is 6½ years old and the twins, Harrison and Marshall, just turned 4 years old in April. My wife is a physician's assistant. We actually met at Danbury hospital when she was a tech in the ER and I was a paramedic on the ambulance.

We had a dog named Sugar, then we found out ours sons were allergic. Right now Sugar is living with my mother, but the boys started their allergy medicine, so hopefully in six to nine months we'll be able to bring her back.Pets:

How long have you lived in Newtown? We moved here five years ago. My wife's father and stepmother live in Bethel, and my mother lives in Southbury, so we were from the area anyway. We knew we wanted to come back to this area when we started our family.

I really like to exercise, work out, and stay healthy. I go to CrossFit RedZone in Newtown. I started there about a week after they opened. They've been awesome. It feels like family there.What do you like to do in your free time?

What is your favorite travel destination? My wife and I love to travel. Our favorite destination is Costa Rica. Scotland was fantastic. We went there on our honeymoon.

What is your favorite food? First and foremost, meatballs and pasta. Also, pizza of course. My wife and I are foodies. We love to cook, especially burgers and barbecue.

What is the best part about Newtown? How everyone is so close. Everybody knows one another. We moved here when my oldest was a year-and-a-half old and my wife had joined one of the mom's groups, and we still see them all over at the gym or at school.

Who have been the greatest influences in your life? My family. My father was the one that got me interested in the fire department, and I worked with my mom in a lot of restaurants, growing up. Both my parents' work ethics were amazing. Also, my older sister was the one to keep me on track, and who motivated and directed me when I was taking tests.

If you could spend the day with one person, who would you choose and why? I would have to say George Washington, because of how well rounded he was. He was a great patriot, but also a renaissance man of his time. He was a phenomenal leader, a politician, a general, a farmer - he did everything. He served with integrity, distinction, humility, and had conviction in his beliefs, but never thought he was the best one for the job. That inspires me.

What is your favorite genre of music? I'm a country music fan now, but growing up I wasn't. In high school, I was much more into R&B, hip-hop, and alternative music.

Do you have a favorite TV show? My top three series, in no particular order, are 24, The Newsroom, and The West Wing.

One quote I always remember, and it can relate to anything, really, is "Don't wish it was easier, wish you were better." It's about realizing that no matter how hard something is, you can always strive to be better at it.What is the greatest piece of advice you have ever been given?