When Daniel Chavez was just a boy, he had to make some hard choices to pave a different kind of life for himself. He grew up in a household that was considered near the poverty level. Still, despite the statistical likelihood of him becoming a delinquent juvenile, Daniel decided to stay out of trouble. He stayed on track to becoming a productive member of society. He owes this to his father’s upbringing.
He grew up in poverty, and those around him were doing things to make quick money, things that could have landed him in big trouble.
Daniel had a servant’s heart and knew he wanted a career helping others. When he was 17 and a senior at Permian High School, he volunteered with the South Ector County Volunteer Fire Department, which sparked his passion to become a firefighter.
He admits he had a great role model. His older brother of 12 years was the first in his family to graduate college, inspiring him. Next month, Daniel celebrates 20 years with Odessa Fire Rescue. The Odessa native is the EMS Chief.
To get to where he is today, he sometimes worked several odd jobs at once. It all paid off! He also has his Master’s Degree from UTPB in Public Administration. He’s the father of two teenagers and has been married for seven years.