Tom Carey first developed his passion for the fire service while working seasonally for CDF. He was hired by Central Fire (Santa Clara County Fire) in 1979. By 1985, he was promoted to Captain and was a member of the department's Arson Investigation Team and a founding member of the Special Operation Team. In 2003, Tom joined Task Force 3 of FEMA as a Hazard Materials Specialist. Tom was also a proud father of two sons. He died from heart failure.