Profiles in Courage: Amber Anderson SBFD

Have you ever had a moment like this before? Where your purpose in life, your passion, can be traced back to a single moment when it seems like the world pointed you towards the career that you were meant for? Now even if this moment occurred to you Today or Tomorrow, would you have the courage to ignore all the reasons why it might not work and commit to pursuing your passion and purpose?

That moment happened to our next Profile in Courage, Amber Anderson of the Santa Barbara Fire Department. When Amber was just starting out, only a few weeks after having completed her EMT training, a patron at the restaurant she was working at collapsed right in front of her. She started to perform CPR and successfully revived the patron, a month later, the lucky customer came in on her lunch shift to thank her for saving his life. At that moment Amber knew that if she could rely on her training and take action in a moment of need, she could make a real difference in the lives of those in her community. In that moment, her career and passion were intertwined, she knew that a life devoted to public safety and service was her calling.

Here at Pelican Products we want to highlight these amazing, courageous examples of those who are breaking the mold, fearlessly pursuing their careers and doing meaningful work in the face of long odds. We are highlighting these stories in law enforcement, first responders, our military, action sports, science and academia; anywhere where uncommon courage is required for success. We celebrate these stories while using our platform as a brand to amplify their reach so the current and next generations will continue to be encouraged and inspired by these patriots and heroes.

Santa Barbara Fire Department (SBFD) Crime Scene Investigator and Public Information Officer, Amber Anderson, works as the department’s primary Fire Scene Investigator. When a fire occurs in the city, Amber is on the scene immediately after the engine crews roll out, to help determine the cause of the incident. Many times this involves diagnosing the possibility of arson, foul play or how the fire might have been started accidentally and how the fire might be prevented in the future.

When Amber joined the fire service in 2000, it wasn't as common for women to serve in the fire department. Every cadet takes on the same physical requirements performed by the other trainees, and that can be intimidating. Amber trained hard as she celebrates 2 decades with the department, her perseverance and leadership has become a shining example for the next generation of women.

In her role as Public Information Officer, Amber stands as the face of the department during, or directly after, a major occurrence - such as the deadly mudslides in Montecito in 2018. We salute her work to help keep our community safe and informed.

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