Written by Aaron Summerall, 2025-26 Central Region Vice President

Some healthcare professionals spend years learning how to save a life. Oregon Army National Guard 2nd Lt. Austin Harvey, learned that sometimes saving a life begins with three simple words, “I’ve got you.”

For Harvey, emergency medicine has never been solely about procedures, certifications, or protocols. It has always been about people: the person behind the emergency, the family behind the call, the individual experiencing the hardest day of their life, and so many more.

Today, Harvey serves his community in multiple capacities as an Advanced EMT, firefighter, and member of the Oregon Army National Guard. Whether responding to emergencies, supporting his community, or serving alongside fellow Guardsmen, the pace changes constantly. However, the mission does not.

“Get there fast, stay calm, and make sure the patient gets exactly what they need,” he explained.

That mindset began long before he ever stepped into an ambulance.

Harvey grew up in a close-knit Oregon community where neighbors knew one another and helping people was simply part of daily life. While he describes himself as somewhat reserved during his younger years, the people around him helped shape his understanding of service, responsibility, and community.

One of the greatest influences in his life was his grandfather.

“My grandpa always emphasized the importance of helping others,” Harvey shared. “We have to be the ones to reach out, because most people won’t.”

That lesson stayed with him. Growing up near a fire station, Harvey was fascinated by the flashing lights and sirens that occasionally passed through his neighborhood. Like many future first responders, curiosity came before career plans. He wanted to know what happened when those vehicles arrived and, more importantly, he wanted to know whether people were okay.

As he grew older, that curiosity evolved into purpose.

When Harvey joined HOSA through the Health and Science High School chapter, now known as the Beaverton Academy of Science High School, he found his first structured exposure to healthcare. A member of Oregon HOSA from 2016 to 2020, he competed in CPR/First Aid and EMT events, discovering a skill set that felt natural.

“The competitions forced me to think quickly, stay organized under pressure, and learn how to function as part of a team long before I was actually doing it in the field,” he said.

Competition became more than preparation. It became confirmation.

Over the course of his HOSA journey, Harvey earned first-place state finishes in both EMT and CPR/First Aid events for two consecutive years. The experiences challenged him to think critically, communicate effectively, and remain calm under pressure.

During one EMT skills event, Harvey found himself responding to a simulated cardiac arrest scenario. As the event unfolded, something clicked.

“I reached a flow state,” he recalled. “I didn’t think twice about what I was doing. It came naturally.”

For the first time, he could see emergency medicine becoming more than an interest. He realized it could become his future.

Years later, that future arrived. Harvey entered EMS carrying the lessons HOSA had given him: communication, teamwork, preparation, and the ability to remain calm under pressure. Yet nothing could fully prepare him for the human side of emergency response.

One call, in particular, changed him. Several years ago, Harvey responded to a call involving an older man who was struggling with severe depression and had attempted to take his own life. When Harvey arrived, he focused on providing care, but he also focused on something else – connection.

As he treated the man’s injuries, he took extra time to talk with him, listen to him, and remind him that someone cared.

“Sometimes all you need is a stranger to say, ‘I’ve got you. I see you,'” Harvey reflected.

That encounter did not end at the hospital. Years later, Harvey still meets with the man for coffee.

Many people imagine emergency responders as individuals who rush into chaotic situations. Harvey sees the work differently.

“It’s not just responding to emergencies,” he explained. “It’s making quick decisions while remaining calm and compassionate under pressure.”

Compassion, for Harvey, means seeing the person behind the emergency. It means listening, reassuring, and remembering that while a call may feel routine to a provider, it may be completely life-changing for the patient.

That perspective continues to shape his career today.

Alongside his work as an Advanced EMT, Harvey now serves as an EMR instructor at his former high school. Many of the students he teaches are HOSA members, creating a full-circle moment that reflects the journey he began years ago.

“EMS is a world where you pass down what was given to you,” he said.

When Harvey looks back on his HOSA experience, he sees more than competitions and skills events. He sees the foundation of his career: teamwork, preparation, and confidence built through repetition. He also recalls the mentors who invested in him and the opportunities that challenged him to grow.

Today, as an Advanced EMT and instructor, he is helping pass those same lessons to the next generation.

Looking ahead, Harvey hopes to continue expanding his impact through healthcare. His future goals include attending paramedic school and eventually pursuing physician assistant school, continuing a journey that began with curiosity, competition, and a desire to help others.

“Don’t underestimate where those early skills will take you,” Harvey reflected.

For current HOSA members, his message is simple: Learn the skills, build the confidence, and never lose the compassion. The skills you practice today may one day become the skills that comfort a frightened patient, steady a chaotic scene, or change the course of someone’s life.

From Harvey’s perspective, most people will never remember every protocol that was followed or every skill that was performed, but they will remember how they were treated and who showed up.

“Sometimes that impact is found in three simple words,” Harvey said. “I’ve got you.”

If you are a former HOSA member and would like to join the HOSA International Alumni Association, visit www.hosa.org/alumni today to be part of a powerful network of healthcare professionals like Austin Harvey.