SPRINGVILLE, Utah (ABC4) – You often hear how people get labeled by what they do for work, like “He’s a police officer” or “a firefighter.” For one emergency responder in Springville, that’s harder to do. ABC4 News shares the different hats he wears, in this edition of Behind the Badge.
Suiting up for work when you’re Dakota Klauck of Springville, could easily mean three different things. Depending on the day, Klauck is a police officer, a firefighter, or an army combat medic.
“People will joke with me sometimes how do you keep anything straight? I’ve got my schedule is all over the place,” said Dakota Klauck, Springville emergency responder.
Klauck serves as a Patrol Corporal for the Springville Police Dept., an advanced EMT Firefighter with Springville Fire, and an Army Combat Medic with the Utah National Guard 145th Field Artillery Unit.
“Do you have one you like more than the others?” asked Reporter Brian Carlson, ABC4 News. “People ask me that a lot. They ask me what’s your favorite one? …honestly, I like them all. That’s why I joke I can’t make up my mind. So, I do them all,” said Klauck.
He started as an EMT in 2015 and felt there were other ways he could serve, so he became an officer three years later, then added army medic to the list. At times he’s on the clock up to 80 to 90 hours a week, sometimes one job on top of the other.
“That’s definitely happened. Sometimes I’ll finish a shift and have to run to a drill or to the fire department or whatever comes up,” Klauck said.
He said the hardest part actually isn’t the demand, instead, it’s responding to an emergency and seeing someone he’s sent to save, die anyway, despite all they can do.
“It’s hard to deal with that… our sole purpose is to help people and protect them,” he said.
So, wearing the different hats, each comes with pain and sacrifice, but Klauck said it’s worth it to help people in need. “Maybe we’re called to breaking down someone’s front door, threatening to harm them, but you get there and stop that, and for me, there’s nothing more satisfying,” said Klauck.
Providing that help is his goal each day he drives out of the station, regardless of which one it is.
Klauck said his wife and kids help him balance all his jobs. He said his motivation is to make the world a safer place around them.
