Meet the Mobile Support Team

Meet John Petroff

Health and Wellness Coordinator,
Mobile Support Team Operations Manager,
Crisis Intervention Team Coordinator

John Petroff wears many hats at the Missoula Fire Department. In addition to being a firefighter, he is the the Health and Wellness Coordinator, Mobile Support Team operations manager, and Crisis Intervention Team Coordinator. Prior to his current role, John spent 14 year as a firefighter/EMT in Missoula. He has a fire science degree from the University of Montana/Helena College of Technology.

John sees his many roles as a positive change for the system as a whole especially in the responder world. He hopes that the programs will bring positive change to the operation crews at the fire department. In his free time John enjoys working on his cars and motorcycles and coaching CrossFit--which he has been doing for 13 years!

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MST Team

Contact Us
625 E. Pine Street
Missoula, MT 59802

Phone: 406-552-6210
Fax: 406-552-6184
Emergency: 911

MST brings a new team of responders to the scene where they can benefit both the subject and the first responders on scene. MST is made of an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in a support vehicle that runs to any calls where mental health of a patient is in question. The units are supported by one PHC case facilitator who will support each unit, following up with individuals to connect them with services in our community. MST provides local consultation, screening and intervention to people in crisis, mainly those with behavioral health and substance abuse issues.

Erika, EMT

Erika

Originally from Madison, WI, Erika has spent the last 10 years working as an Experiential Educator and Wilderness Guide around the world in places like Australia, New Zealand and Northern Canada. In 2019 she moved to Missoula to pursue a career in Emergency Medicine as an EMT and is humbled to be working for the Fire Department as a part of the Mobile Support Team. As well as being part of the MST, she is currently attending Missoula College pursing a degree in Paramedicine. In the tiny bit of free time she has outside of work and school, Erika enjoys playing in and on the rivers of Montana and watching the Great British Baking Show. 

Ben, EMT

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Ben comes to us from Boise, ID where he grew up chasing an adventurous lifestyle through outdoor sports and organized ice hockey. The team-work ethics and physical demands of his hobbies set a sturdy foundation to thrive as a Wildland Firefighter. His civil service career started as a seasonal firefighter in 2010. After getting a taste for the action, he progressed to work on federal Hotshot crews. After 5 years of crew-life he moved up to Heli-Rappelling where he finished 9 years of service with the U.S.F.S. “I had worked with machinery and fire-fronts for a long time, I needed to acknowledge that my heart lies in human connections.” Ben says. In 2019 he worked as a Firefighter/EMT at a small fire department in Idaho where he got a taste for emergency medical services as an Ambulance Operator. 

“I’ve always known that Missoula is a magical place full of diversity, kind attitudes and a government that prioritizes the complete wellbeing of its people. Once I heard about what the new Mobile Support Team (MST) aims to achieve, I saw it as an excellent opportunity to provide a compassionate service to any human in need, no matter what they are going through.” In the fall of 2020 Ben became one of the first EMT’s for the MST. 

On his days off Ben enjoys Missoula’s outdoor recreation of river surfing, snowboarding, trail running and playing ice hockey.


Alex, EMT

MST Team

After getting her EMT license, Alex began her EMS career working on an ambulance. During this time, she took part in multiple trainings, including the CIT Academy. Interested in the emerging field of crisis response, Alex joined the Mobile Support Team and is excited to serve the community of Missoula.