07/03/2026
Beyond the Balance Sheet
✨Community Spotlight✨
Some conversations stay with you long after they’re over. My conversation with Eric Treinen was one of them. What began as a discussion about his career became a conversation about service, perspective, and how quickly life can change.
Eric’s passion for serving others began long before he wore a uniform. As a kid, he listened to his uncle’s stories after emergency calls, and those conversations sparked a calling that would shape his life.
Today, he serves as both a firefighter and an emergency manager, helping communities prepare for and recover from some of their most difficult days.
Eric shared that responding to fatal accidents and remembering his very first fire, one where he was told there were children inside, changed the way he looks at life. Eric mentioned, “With these experiences you realize how truly fragile life is.”
That realization is why he believes preparedness isn’t about expecting the worst, it’s about caring for the people you love.
His advice is simple:
1. Keep a 72-hour emergency kit
2. Write down important phone numbers
3. Sign up for local emergency alerts. SLVE911.Colorado.gov
4. Know your neighbors-this can mean faster help, better communication, and even the difference between life and death during an emergency.
As our conversation came to an end, I realized Eric never focused on the emergencies he had responded to or the challenges he had faced. Instead, he kept coming back to serving others, preparing his community, and making a difference where he could.
Sometimes the most inspiring people are the ones quietly answering the call, day after day, reminding us to appreciate the moments we have and the people we share them with. 💙
