Matthew Riveros - Firefighter

Matthew Riveros witnessed firsthand the expertise and compassion of Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) firefighters at 18 years old when his seven-year-old baby sister had a stroke stemming from a tumor rupturing in her brain. After she was transported to the hospital, doctors informed the family that surgery was required to remove the tumor and that a blood transfusion would be critical to save her life due to the risk of significant bleeding during the operation.

Riveros’s father, a well-respected Apparatus Operator for the LAFD, immediately called his fellow members. They woke up in the middle of the night, came to the hospital, and donated the blood that was needed for the transfusion. Six weeks later, when Riveros’s father suffered a heart attack while at his station, his crew saved his life.

“I remember the whole hospital surrounded by the fire department,” Riveros reflected.

Riveros’s baby sister is now a veterinarian, and his father went on to finish his career and retire from the fire service. Initially going to nursing school, the back-to-back traumatic experiences significantly impacted Riveros and catalyzed his pursuit of an LAFD career. He left nursing school and tested for fire departments across the country, determined to give back to the same people who saved his father and sister’s lives.

In 2008, he received an offer from the LAFD and took it without hesitation. He cited the captains and mentors he had along the way as the keys to his early growth and development as a firefighter.  

Firefighter Riveros spent most of his time on the job at LAFD Fire Station 39 in the valley. But after 10 years there, he was ready for a new challenge. A position opened with LAFD Metropolitan Fire Communications (MFC), the facility responsible for processing the City’s 911 and non-emergency calls and dispatching LAFD resources. Firefighter Riveros applied, passed the test, and joined the MFC team in 2022.

“When I left the field, I thought I knew what I was taking on,”

he shared. But his first year was tougher than he could have imagined.

“The hardest part is the stress,”

Firefighter Riveros added, citing that a single dispatcher could field more than 150 calls a day. He was recognized in 2024 for taking 17,187 calls in one year – about 47 per day for all 365 days of the year.

The lack of visualization presented another level of difficulty. “On scene, you get that gratification of putting the patient on the gurney and taking them to the hospital,” he shared.

“Taking the hands-on aspect out of the equation changes a lot.”

Firefighter Riveros shared that in person, body language and facial expressions can indicate increased distress, whereas a phone call could go from “here’s my address” to an inability to articulate logistics that would better help direct the dispatcher.

The dynamic and ever-changing nature of MFC is what keeps Firefighter Riveros coming back.

“Every day is a learning experience,” he said. “You never know what you’re going to walk into.”

That was certainly the case on January 7th, 2025. Firefighter Riveros worked for 23 days straight during the January 2025 wildfires. He was assigned to Interagency Resource Ordering Capability (IROC), an application that is engaged to order, track, and manage resources for significant incidents. His role was critical in maintaining operational efficiency during the crisis.

The MFC motto is “It all starts here,” and that’s exactly why Firefighter Riveros pursued the role of a dispatcher. He wanted to gain a broader perspective of LAFD operations and understand the value of citizens having a positive experience with the LAFD, from the moment they dial 911 to the conclusion of the incident.

When a woman called for her husband, who was in full cardiac arrest, Firefighter Riveros deployed resources immediately. When she shared that she couldn’t perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) due to her age, he saw an opportunity. Firefighter Riveros encouraged her to go to a neighbor’s house and guided the pair over the phone as they administered CPR, saving the man’s life.

“I always try to leave people with the best impression of the fire department,” Firefighter Riveros reflected. “Even if a situation doesn’t end positively, you want someone to look at your work and say, ‘they gave it their all.’”

Five years is the minimum requirement of field experience to apply for MFC, but Firefighter Riveros says the more time, the better. He believes that every LAFD member should spend at least a day at MFC to better understand the functions of this critical LAFD operation.

Though he doesn’t get the immediate satisfaction of helping others out in the field, Firefighter Riveros says there is a different kind of gratification to be had in providing help to those in need through MFC.

“I don’t know how to explain it quite yet,”

Firefighter Riveros laughed.

“Maybe when I’m done with my assignment here, I’ll understand.”  

Through yoga, meditation, and consistent exercise, Firefighter Riveros keeps himself physically and mentally sharp – a routine that’s crucial to helping him manage the high emotions that come with a day in the life at MFC.

“It’s not a dream anymore,” Firefighter Riveros said when asked if being a firefighter is his dream job. “I’m living it.”