Behind every mask is a person
An interview with Chris
At 29, Chris Roth has achieved what others aspire to in their mid-40s: employed, married, two children, a house with a garden. The bread-baking master carpenter drops everything for his wife, children and the fire service. In this interview, he reveals why he’d like to chat with Elon Musk.
Chris, what three properties best describe you?
Driven, perfectionist, open. I set goals for myself every day at work – and aim to reach them by evening. I give it my all during the day to make sure that happens.
Why did you join the fire service?
I enjoy helping people, and the drills are fun too. We hold training exercises every four weeks: putting up ladders, extinguishing fires, cutting open vehicles.
How do you deal with the cancer risk in firefighting?
I don’t really think about the cancer risk. They talked about it during basic fire service training, but it’s not something on my radar in my everyday life as a firefighter.
What celebrity would you like to meet?
Elon Musk. I’d be interested in hearing where he found the self-discipline to achieve everything he’s built for himself.
Would you rather ask him that taking a Tesla for a spin or in a space capsule?
Neither, nor for me. But it is fascinating how he started from nothing, becoming one of the richest men in the world with a great deal of influence.
‘I don’t really think about the cancer risk. They talked about it during basic fire service training, but it’s not something on my radar in my everyday life as a firefighter.’
What’s your favourite food any why?
Käsespätzle (spaetzle noodles with cheese). I had that a lot as a kid.
And when you’re cooking, what do you serve?
Actually, I can cook anything.
Even roast beef with red cabbage and potato dumplings?
More simple dishes like pasta or casseroles. And I bake. I have a sourdough that I feed regularly, and I bake bread two, three times a week. At the weekend, I usually make something sweet.
You randomly get tomorrow off – how would you prefer to spend the day?
Sleeping in, enjoying a leisurely breakfast and working on the house. We have a large yard with a barn and garden. My wife would like a henhouse. There’s plenty to do.
As a carpenter, do you build everything yourself?
Yes, I make everything myself. I did my master carpenter training while remodelling the house. But I wouldn’t do that again.
Who or what would you immediately drop everything for?
For my family, my wife Janina and my two daughters. And for the fire service. When the siren goes off, you have to drop everything.
If you could turn back time, what year would you go back to?
To 2018, the year my first daughter was born. That changed everything.
A hands-on kind of guy: Firefighter Chris stows a fire hose.
Driven: Chris did his master carpenter training while remodelling his house.
Is it all there? Chris checking the firefighting equipment.
Good in the field
It’s good to regularly perform drills and master the moves: putting up ladders, extinguishing fires, cutting open vehicles. It’s also good when rescue workers are aware of the risks of contamination on call-outs and follow their brigade’s hygiene design: before, during and after call-outs.
For more than ten years, MEIKO has been developing appliances with fire services, for services to clean and disinfect respiratory protective and other fire service equipment. SCBA technicians especially benefit from cleaning and disinfection solutions for respiratory protective equipment.