Thousands of dedicated Pantex citizens like Jessica Cavazos work every day to support the Pantex mission. Take three minutes to learn about who she is, what she does, and why she is proud to be a Pantexan.
Ladies and gentlemen! Boys and girls! Children of all ages — welcome — to the greatest workplace on Earth! Step right up and be amazed at the nation’s primary site for the assembly, disassembly, and maintenance of nuclear weapons. Not everyone gets a ticket to see inside, but today is your lucky day. We have dazzling, dependable employees, delivering for today and optimizing for tomorrow — magnificent, world-class safety experts pushing our success to new heights, and fearless firefighters performing feats of grace and strength that only Pantex citizens would. All seen here at the one and only Pantex Fire Department (PXFD). Your ringmaster for this evening — the fabulous Jessica Cavazos.
Cavazos earned the nickname of “Ringmaster” because she is a central, cherished, and important member of the fire department family. Of course, Pantex isn’t a circus, but sometimes work might feel like a juggling act straight out of Barnum and Bailey. Thanks to dedicated team members like Cavazos, Emergency Services never drops a ball. Cavazos has worked as the PXFD secretary for 11 years, and quickly became an integral part of the team, effortlessly balancing several critical duties to help keep the organization running smoothly.
“Jessica takes pride in her abilities and responsibilities and that pride produces high-quality results,” Fire Chief Mike Brock said. “She cares about our personnel and will go out of her way to ensure they are taken care of. She does so many things behind the scenes that we don’t even think about. When she had to be off several weeks unexpectedly, it quickly became evident how much she does without prompting.”
The popular idiom “not my circus” is something Cavazos refuses to accept. She would insist it IS her circus and that she has a responsibility to live up to her nickname. Affectionately referring to the team as “her” responders, Cavazos is always willing to assist with events or tasks that unexpectedly pop up.
“During emergencies, I may be called upon to make important notifications, direct incoming phone calls, and help with on-scene operations by directing the Fire Department Support Team to receive their assignment,” Cavazos said. “I know my firefighters and paramedics are ready and willing to go out and take on whatever task they face when the tones drop. I am very honored to be a part of the fire department team. It provides me a great deal of pride to know I do everything I can to support them.”
Cavazos’ work isn’t all popcorn and cotton candy, but she loves her job. Just like the ringmaster starts the show, Cavazos is the first face you’ll see when you walk into the fire department, and you’ll almost always find her with a smile.
“Although not on official duty, I am an ambassador for the department,” Cavazos said. “I get the pleasure of assisting our visitors by helping them locate people or direct them to their meetings or events. Since I get the opportunity to meet people from all over the plant, I often get the pleasure to introduce visitors to our firefighters.”
Why are you proud to be a part of your specific team at Pantex?
I’m proud to be a Pantexan. I like that I am contributing to the team to accomplish a mission for the United States and its citizens. I enjoy being around all the great people I’ve met, the benefits, and pay I receive for doing a job I love.
How do you contribute to your team and make sure the mission is met?
I maintain records, payroll, emails, take notes, compose memos, oversee overtime weekly reports, assist with employee paperwork, support the responders, and more. In the over 20 years I’ve been at Pantex, I’ve seen lots of changes and opportunities. I feel my mission is to help coworkers with the things they need to do their job. Although the fire department is not directly related to weapons work, that work cannot be performed without our support and services.
What has surprised you the most since joining Pantex?
The connections I have made. I expected Pantex to be like other jobs where I show up, perform my work, and go home. Here I have met lots of good people and developed unbelievable relationships with great friends. It still impresses me that we are the only place in the world that does what we do. I am blessed to work for an organization that helps maintains nuclear deterrence.