Stephen Darnell

Stephen Darnell was born and raised in the small town of New Braunfels, Texas. His parents still live there today, and they will be married for 51 years this year. Growing up in a close-knit church community, Stephen was shy, but He was always concerned for those who could not defend themselves. In later years, Stephen Darnell directed his passion for helping people, into a career in public safety of over 15 years including as a firefighter, Fire Marshal, Assistant Fire Chief, Paramedic, and an Emergency Manager. Darnell started his career at the Universal City Fire Department as a firefighter and was quickly promoted, thanks in a large part to his continuous personal development and completing a Bachelor of Science is in Emergency Health and a Master’s Degree is in Public Administration Specializing in Emergency Management. Ironically, considering his reserved personality, a big part of his job description as Assistant Fire Chief included providing training and public speaking. It was a baptism of fire, so to speak, but Stephen Darnell grateful for the skills he learnt and still use today. A short time later, Stephen Darnell also joined the City of Schertz EMS Department in Guadalupe as a part-time NREMT Paramedic, honing his ability to assess emergency situations, prioritize tasks and execute the appropriate response under pressure. From 2018 to date, Stephen Darnell have been enlisted as a reservist for BCFS Health and Human Services' Emergency Management Division - a non-profit partner of federal, state and local government and private industry, specializing in emergency management, incident management and disaster response. Being involved in high-adrenaline, quick-response situations daily, means that you always have to be physically and mentally ‘ready’. So, it is wise to have other interests that create balance. This was where his love for building and restoring custom furniture was born.  Carpentry does not allow you to rush. It is a slow, sometimes painful, creative process. But the satisfaction of building something you know someone will use and is willing to pay for, is right up there with the feeling of seeing someone whose life you saved, back with their loved ones. When Stephen Darnell not responding to emergencies, He love nature hikes at home in Cibolo, spending time with family, watching movies with his two sons, and creating something new on his woodworking bench.