Firefighter Daryl Goodridge Celebrates 20 Years of the FDNY High School

For two decades, Captain Vernon A. Richard High School for Fire and Life Safety has been inspiring students into a life of public service. To celebrate its 20th anniversary, Join FDNY is highlighting some remarkable alumni who have gone on to join the FDNY. Firefighter Daryl Goodridge, a 2009 graduate, credits the school with shaping his career path.
“I remember in the 12th grade, we started working with actual EMTs at that point. They were just regular people, but they did extraordinary work,” recalled Goodridge. “There was this moment when they gave all the 12th graders the opportunity to stay in the EMT class and a large number of students said, ‘You know what? This is not for me. I’m not going to do it.’ And maybe about 20% of the 12th grade stayed in the class. And that small decision to say I’m going to stick in here, it impacted the rest of my life.”
That decision led Goodridge to the FDNY EMS Academy, where he served as an EMT for eight years before graduating from Probationary Firefighter School. After seven years at Ladder Company 107, he has now come full circle as an instructor at the very place that helped launch his career.
“I feel like it’s my calling in life to help people, and not just in emergency situations. I’m back here teaching today, the place that started my career. When I was 13, 14, 15, 16 years old, I didn’t have a lot of guidance,” reflected Goodridge. “Someone actually showing you the ropes can make or break you in terms of your trajectory and your career in life. A lot of kids need guidance and extra motivation, so I try to be that for them.”