Bryan Durkin Email & Phone Number

I started my professional life in retail, where I learned humility, customer service, and the importance of taking pride in doing a good job – regardless of how “menial” it seemed.Wanting to give back to my country and change the trajectory of my future, I joined the United States Navy in 2005. As a Gunner’s Mate, I learned how to push myself past what I thought were my limits – both physical and mental. I discovered the importance of technical excellence and cross-training, becoming the first Gunner’s Mate on my destroyer to get qualified in firing our 5-inch gun mount (typically a Fire Controlman’s job). Most importantly, I began to understand how fulfilling it could be to serve others.After being honorably discharged in 2009, I started my career in wildland firefighting, first with the Oregon Department of Forestry, and moving to the Idaho Department of Lands in 2017. As a firefighter, I continue to redefine my physical and mental “limits.” I stay hungry for learning and training, both on the job and in the classroom. I’ve incorporated into my work a bias for action, robust problem solving, strategic thinking, and the ability to find unconventional solutions. I enjoy training other firefighters in both technical skill sets as well as the less tangible areas of people skills, professional development, teamwork, and leadership.In between these jobs, I’ve been a janitor and a cowboy (for real), and I’ve earned an English degree. All of this has taught me that I’m happiest in a job where I can serve others and work toward something bigger than myself. If it were just about the paycheck, I wouldn’t have done any of the above.