Nick Parino, a spring graduate, spent two weeks fighting the Slink Fire – one of the many fires currently devastating Northern California. Photos courtesy of Parino and the Chapman swim and dive team.

Just seven months ago, Nick Parino was relentlessly fighting through the water at the Chapman Zee Allred Aquatics Center, striving for victory in the 50-yard freestyle. Now, he is fighting the opposite element in Northern California.

Over the last few weeks, Parino and his department have been fighting the Slink Fire, a wildfire that has burned over 26,500 acres in Mono County, which is approximately four hours east of Sacramento, California. He and his department spent nine straight days near the fire, making progress in keeping the damage away from structures and populated areas.

“We had to save this ranch that had fire all around it; you couldn’t even see five feet in front of you. The smoke was so bad,” Parino said. “We fought that fire for 12 hours and then the fire jumped across the line, so we ended up fighting the fire for 24 straight hours.”

After graduating from Chapman spring 2020, Parino began working for the North Lyon County Fire Protection District near his hometown of Reno, Nevada, as a part of the wildland program. As a wildland firefighter, Parino can fight any fire in any county at any time as assistance is needed. In addition to his job as a firefighter, Parino is a certified emergency medical technician (EMT).

“COVID sucked, but it was perfect for me because it allowed me to go back to Reno during school and do my firefighter training,” Parino said. “I got my EMT and Emergency Medical Service certifications … I was ready for this a year before I graduated.”

For two straight weeks, Parino and his team would wake up at 4:30 a.m. every morning. In total, they fought the fire for 108 total hours, which equates to 12 hours a day for nine days. As of Oct. 4, the fire is 86% contained.

Parino’s swim coach at Chapman, Dennis Ploessel, said he wasn’t taken aback by the athlete’s courage.

“He was a really gung-ho guy, so this doesn’t surprise me at all,” Ploessel said. “He’s such a good, good person all around and a hard, hard worker.”

Parino participated in multiple events as a swimmer at Chapman in his senior year. As a freshman, Parino was a member of the men’s water polo team. He credited his days as an athlete for his success in his post-college career, saying sports prepared him for the physical fitness required to be a firefighter.

“When you’re working that long with 80 pounds of gear on your back, it demands you to be in peak physical shape,” Parino said.

The physical requirements of athletics, however, are not the only things that helped Parino prepare for firefighting. He was also well-accustomed to having the team camaraderie. 

“Team cohesion not only plays a huge role in sports, but fighting fires as well,” Parino said. “We’re like a family; we sleep together, eat together, we do everything together and it’s a big part of how well of a job you do as a unit.”