The life of a first responder is a personal calling for first time-mom Danielle Landholm.
On a day when most mothers are spending it with their loved ones, she understands her role as a lead paramedic with the Omaha Fire Department, she says.
Four years ago, she joined the department after working as an educator. Landholm bounced around to different fire stations before settling at the downtown location.
“Medic One is one of the busiest ambulances in the city,” she says.
Regardless of it being Mother’s Day, she says there is a good chance her team will be “awfully busy.”
The former educator always knew two things – that she wanted to work in a fire department alongside the guys.
“It feels like having a lot of brothers,” Landholm says.
In an industry known for being male-dominant, the new mother says the brotherhood goes out of its way to protect her, like it would with a younger sister.
“When they say you build a family in your crew – they are very accurate with that description,” says the paramedic.
The second certainty Landholm knew is she always wanted to be a mother.
Landholm is one of 35 female firefighters within the city’s fire department, and most of them are mothers, she says.
On a day known for celebrating and honoring mothers, her three-month-old son Barrett is hanging out with his father for most of the day.
But the boys in blue are not treating Mother’s Day like any other 24-hour shift.
“The guys are doing a great job of making it a little special, too. They've all been saying, Happy Mother's Day,” she says. “And they're making me breakfast.”
While waiting for calls, family members will spend some quality time with the crew at the downtown station to celebrate the mothers they know.
So it seems Landholm may be combining both of her passions this year.
This morning she says she spent some time with her newborn son before heading to work.
This is my dream job, she says, but it does not make it any easier leaving him at home.
For Landholm, the sacrifice is worth it when she knows she is helping others by serving the community.
“It's part of what we do.”
