PITTSBURGH — Over the course of his 40-year career, there isn’t much that EMS Chief Mark Bocian hasn’t seen during his storied career with the Emergency Medical Services team of Pittsburgh.
Since the inception of Pittsburgh’ EMS bureau in 1975, Bocian spent many of his hours perusing the streets of Pittsburgh, responding to emergency calls and dedicating his life to saving others.
After many years, Bocian's work hasn't gone unnoticed as he worked up to the ranks to eventually become chief.
“It’s been an honor to be chief of this organization,” Bocian said. “EMS has been my life for the bulk of it, looking back, I can say I have no regrets.”
Finally, 40 years in the business, Bocian is looking back at EMS entirely, retiring from a profession that he has been a part of since its infancy.
“There’s a lot of rich EMS history in this region and I was fortunate to be there at the ground level,” Bocian said.
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Growing up in Pittsburgh’s West End neighborhood, Bocian aspired to be like his father, a sergeant with the Pittsburgh Police. After graduating from the University of Pittsburgh, his plans changed when he was introduced to the emerging industry.
“I was on the list to become a police officer,” Bocian said. “Then someone came to me and asked if I heard about the new program they were starting up.”
That program would eventually grow to be a key pillar of the medical industry.
It took some consideration, but eventually Bocian opted to take a stab at making the career switch.
“I thought instead of being a police officer, this is a brand new job, brand new field, it’s something I might be interested in,” Bocian said.
After interviewing, then 19-year-old Bocian was offered the job and never looked back, until now.
“There’s a lot of rich EMS history in this region and I was fortunate to be there at the ground level,” Bocian said.
When Bocian began in 1975, what would eventually grow to become the EMS program was beginning to develop. Responders used maps, two-way radios and had limited medical supplies as they were deployed on response calls.
“The program that we started way back when is continuing to get better and people are alive today because of it,” Bocian said.
To experience the joys that came with saving lives, Bocian had to get through the pain of losing some patients.”
“Sometimes it can be stressful,” Bocian said. “Sometimes you’re in people’s homes at the worst moments. To make a positive difference is not always easy.”
Now, life becomes a little easier for the soon-to-be full-time grandfather. Bocian retires from the City of Pittsburgh on March 2.
WPXI
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