Joshua Emerson-Merte was haunted by an act of violence he had committed three years earlier, the result of a drug addiction. He didn't want to return home the same person he was before. Firefighting, Josh said, triggered a very different high than drugs: the gratification of hard work and a sense of purpose. When Josh was finally let out, 5 days before Christmas it took him some time to adjust. He focused his energy on his Cal Fire applications while working for his family's appliance store. He spent months trying to get an interview but is still waiting.
