words: Jay Riggio
photos: Angela Boatwright
Snuffing out apocalyptic-style infernos with the quickness and riding the fuck out of a skateboard aren’t necessarily comparable acts to the untutored eye. But for Mike Hernandez, the 35-year-old ex pro skater turned New York City firefighter, the two opposing career paths go together like Steven Segal and a hasty kick to the nuts. When Mike was sixteen, his homie showed up to school with a board, immediately sparking his interest in the four wheeled past time. Growing up with and skating alongside legendary pros like Keith Hufnagel and Keanan Milton, Mike’s skills quickly peaked and was soon granted entrance into the sponsored skate game. During his career Hernandez rode for companies like Zoo York and Infamous before experiencing some nasty industry drama and eventually walking away from skateboarding altogether. Without a career goal in mind, Mike said, Fuck it and signed up for the NYFD. A firefighter since 2004, Mike can currently be seen anyplace where there’s smoke arising; armed with an ax, a fire hose and a set of balls like freakin ostrich eggs.
“I knew whatever career I did choose if I went back to college, ultimately I would be settling. I am a super athletic guy. I knew that the fire department would be something that would challenge me physically and spiritually. At the end of the day, when you go home, you feel good about what you did for the day. Even if somebody just locked their keys in the car and you got them out, that feels good. It’s also a good way to represent New York City and you get a pension out of it [and] health insurance.
“The difference between skateboarding and being a fireman is that you can’t decide, I don’t wanna work today. I just wanna kick my feet up. With the fire department, you always have to be on your toes, you can’t be relaxed about anything. It forces me to be in shape and always be ready physically and mentally. You always got to be on point.
“Skateboarding did prepare me for being a firefighter. Skateboarders are a little bit tweaked, even borderline suicidal. Sometimes we’re a glutton for punishment, like when you’re skating and you’re trying to land something and you fall–you have that drive where it’s like, I have to land this shit. One of the guys at my firehouse who has 25 years on the job, he told me that firefighters are borderline suicidal. We run into fucking burning buildings while people are running out. If you’re on this job and you feel normal about it, then you’re crazy. If you kind of question why you do this job every once in a while, then you probably have your act together. You very well could lose your life…it’s the nature of the job.
“The thing about the fire department is that shit travels fast. I had to stand up for 239 people and they asked what my profession was before this? When I told them I was a professional skateboarder, everybody was like, “What the fuck is that?” What did you do before this? Most guys were like carpenters, EMS, cops, did finance and shit like that, so I think they appreciate the fact that I was doing some other shit before I got on the job. They think I am some rock star because I get shit sent to the firehouse and I hook guys up with snowboards for their kids. They think I am plugged to the matrix or something.”
