Former Motocross pro David Pingree battled against the sports greats for 10 years and though he may not have held a #1 plate, he found success in a world where so many fail.

Pingree turned pro in 1993 and won four 125 Supercross events, landed on the podium in multiple Nationals and won a few international races like Bercy Supercross in Paris before hanging up the boots fulltime in 2003. He returned to racing when Supermoto exploded in popularity in 2006 and rode for the TLD/Red Bull/Honda team winning a handful of races and a bronze medal at X Games.

What Pingree does today, though, most would argue impacts far more people with a lot less recognition. Pingree, who once raced alongside the likes of Jeff Emig, Jeremy McGrath, Ricky Carmichael and Grant Langston on the track, now has a team of brothers who work together to save lives and bring calm to the streets.

Pingree joined the ranks of first responders in 2009 and today works as a firefighter/paramedic with San Bernardino County Fire. That's not to put Pingree atop the box alone. He and millions of other first responders, which includes police officers, state troopers and 911 dispatchers work 24 hours a day responding to emergencies and keeping their communities safe.

But, Pingree hasn't forgotten his first love. Perhaps more of a fixture in the world of Motocross today than when he raced, in addition to his day job, Pingree hosts The Whiskey Throttle Show, owns his own media company Whiskey Throttle Media and recently started Elevate Action Sports, a subscription-based program offering customized Motocross and Off-Road training from some of the best to ever throw a leg over a dirt bike. Fans grew to love or hate his sharp wit and opinions over the years with “Ask Ping,� which now resides on Whiskey Throttle Media. Off the track he rides a Husky Svartepilen which he describes as "a fun little bike for cruising around town."

First Responders Appreciation Day is October 28 so to help honor those who put their lives on the line we sat down with Pingree to discuss his career as a first responder.

Interview with David Pingree

1. What inspired your transition from racing Motocross to becoming a first responder?

I was managing the TLD/Honda team in 2009 and I was back to traveling 30 weekends per year. My wife and I had just had kids and I wanted to be home more. Her father was a fire captain so he steered me in the right direction. I wanted to find something that was a little more profound than just riding bikes or building budgets for a race team. I wanted something physical that was fun and challenging, allowed me to be home with my family more, and had some stability after so many years of racing for a job year after year. The fire service checked all those boxes.

2. What parallels do you find between being a first responder and racing dirt bikes?

There are so many. In the fire service, you have to be able to think on your feet and make a lot of decisions quickly and while under pressure. Whether it's a structure fire and you're searching for victims, a vegetation fire with erratic winds or a serious medical call you have to able to perform.

Well, think about what we have to do as racers. You're navigating an obstacle-filled course while shifting, braking, timing jumps, avoiding riders and hopefully making passes and all while you're pumped full of adrenaline. The scenery is different, but it's the same set of circumstances.

On top of that we operate as a team in the fire service - Captain, engineer and firefighter all working together to accomplish whatever the specific goal is. In racing it's the rider, mechanic, manager, agent, etc., all working towards goals of their own.

3. How do you manage the stress of your job?

My family is my foundation. They keep me grounded and give me perspective. Also, riding is a really great outlet for me. In fact, anything that I can focus on, like surfing, skiing, mountain biking are all great releases for me.

4. We all know the highs and lows of racing, what are the highs and lows of being a first responder?

The highs are definitely getting a good structure fire or a call that gets your blood pumping. I've said before that when the alarm goes off for a confirmed structure fire, it's the closest thing I've experienced to the 30-second board going up while you're on the gate for a supercross main event. It's a rush.

The lows change, but pediatric calls that don't end well are always a struggle, especially when you have kids of your own. A big part of this job is compartmentalizing the trauma, death and destruction you're exposed to and that's difficult with kids. For many departments at the moment, including ours, staffing shortages are a struggle. Instead of ten days per month, I'm working about 18 days per month. That doesn't allow you time to see your family, download the things you've seen and done and recharge your batteries.

5. How often do you get out and ride?

I ride a few times per month, on average. I wish I could get out once per week, because that seems to be the threshold where I don't get arm pump. However, if I'm stuck at the station, I don't get our as often. I currently have a 2022 YZ450F and a 2023 YZ250.

6. Is a day at the track an outlet for a rough few days at the office?

Absolutely. You need a way to blow off steam and that is definitely my favorite way.

7. What is your advice for people wanting a career as a first responder?

Find some good mentors to show you the path, and don't give up. That's another thing that serves moto racers well, we already know how to be stubbornly determined. The people who don't get hired are the ones who give up. Build your resume, do some construction, volunteer at a station, and get some EMS experience.

8. What does the public seemingly not understand about being first responder that you really wish they knew?

I'm not sure people understand the scope of what we do. My department is an all-risk agency, so we respond to medical calls, structure fires, vegetation fires, car fires, car crashes, swift water rescues, HazMat incidents, Search and Rescue operations, and about a million other things. We have snow cats for the winter, boats for the summer, dozers, helicopters and even side-by-sides set up for rescue in remote areas. Every department is different based on their needs, but in the largest geographical county in the country, we have to be ready to respond to anything.

9. What have you seen on the job that changed your life or will stick with you forever, and why?

I never used to think about where the closest trauma center was or how would EMS get access to me if I got hurt. When my buddy Jiri Dostal broke his neck while riding in the hills, I started to understand how critical that is. Glamis, Dumont Dunes, or anywhere way out in the desert, if you have a serious accident you aren't going to get medical help for a long time. And once fire arrives, we still have to package you and send you via helicopter (if they're available) to the nearest trauma hospital. I can't stress how important it is to consider these things when you go out. I've seen folks have bad outcomes because they were in such remote locations when they were injured.

10. Have to ask, you've seen bad injuries in your day job and on the track. How do you wrestle with the first responder in you that might question the wisdom of racing and riding dirt bikes versus the dirt bike rider in you that says there's nothing better than flying around a track?

You have to be able to know your limits and do dangerous things safely. But you can't let your fear of getting hurt stifle the things that bring you joy.

I default to this quote: "Courageous men who take more risks may live shorter lives, but cautious men, they never live at all." - Unknown.

To honor our nation's first responders, MotoSport is offering 10% off any orders for the month of October. See our First Responders Appreciation page for more details.