Fire Lieutenant Brandon McKenna and Fire Medic Eric Morris
The tones are going off in the station. They’ve got 60 seconds to get on the fire truck. It doesn’t matter what they’re doing — eating, training, working out, taking a shower — it’s just part of the job. It’s a reality Lenexa Fire Lieutenant Brandon McKenna and Fire Medic Eric Morris live every shift.
“When I first hear the tones, I immediately zone in on what kind of emergency we’re responding to, and where the call is located,” Brandon said. “There are a large variety of emergencies we respond to, so knowing that the call could be ‘chest pain at Rec Center’ will give me a different set of priorities to go over and think of while we are responding than say a ‘house fire in the Falcon Valley neighborhood.’”
When responding to a call, each fire truck is staffed with at least three crew members: a driver (engineer), an officer (captain, lieutenant or acting officer) and a firefighter. In Lenexa, every truck also includes a paramedic (fire medic). In fact, Lenexa is the only fire department in Johnson County that requires a cross-trained paramedic on every truck responding to emergencies, and nearly half of the department’s personnel are paramedics.
That level of medical expertise is essential because medical emergencies account for more than 70% of the Lenexa Fire Department’s calls for service.
“One thing I think most people don’t realize is that a majority of our calls are actually medical emergencies, not fires,” Eric said. “While many people picture firefighters responding primarily to structure fires, we’re often the first healthcare providers on scene for medical emergencies. We begin advanced medical care as soon as we arrive, and in more critical situations, we continue providing care alongside the transporting ambulance crew all the way to the hospital. Being a firefighter today means being just as committed to emergency medicine as fighting fires.”
As first responders, Brandon and Eric know they’re often meeting people during some of the most difficult moments of their lives.
“I try to approach each patient as if they were one of my own family members,” Eric said. “If it were my spouse, my child or my parents calling 911, I’d want the responders to treat them with urgency, compassion and respect — not as just another call. This mindset helps me to stay focused on delivering the best care possible.”
Over the years, they’ve responded to everything from house fires and cardiac arrests to severe crashes and rescues. Along the way, they’ve also witnessed more tragedy than most people will ever experience.
“The average person experiences anywhere from two to four traumatic events in their lifetime,” Brandon said. “On average, firefighters face 400 to 600 over their career, and about three to five every single month.”
Not knowing what to expect is often how a call begins — and how it ends. Crews rarely learn what happens after they leave the scene.
“Once we transfer patient care or clear the scene, our part is usually over,” Eric said. “We move on to the next call, while the patient’s story continues without us. You just hope that what you did gave someone their best chance.”
Life at the station is built on trust. During a 24-hour shift, firefighters eat, bunk in the same area and respond to every emergency side by side.
“When you spend a third of your life with the same people, they become more than co-workers — they become family,” Eric said. “When the alarm goes off, you’re expected to trust each other fully in situations where lives are on the line.”
That sense of family extends beyond the fire station.
“Behind every uniform is someone who has made a commitment to serve others,” Eric said. “We miss holidays, birthdays, and time with our own families so we can be there for yours. It’s a sacrifice we’re proud to make, and one we never take for granted.”
Outside of work, Brandon carves out an hour or two each day to read fantasy and sci-fi novels and spends the rest of his time with his wife and their dog. The couple has traveled around the world together and even got married abroad. Eric enjoys spending time outdoors, relaxing at the pool and taking trips to the mountains and the coast with his wife and their two boys. For both men, making memories with the people they love helps balance the demands of a career built around answering someone else’s emergency. Learn more about becoming a Lenexa firefighter at Lenexa.com/FireCareers.
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Published Sept. 8, 2026