WORKING -- MARC BRIDGES

TORUS TAMMER,

HE IS Known as the fix-it man

FROM CABINET MAKER TO ENGINEER

Marc Bridges, 42, is the maintenance engineer at Fountain Valley

Regional Hospital. He acknowledges that he has grown so attached to his

job that he is virtually a fixture.

“I started working here when I was 24,” Bridges said. “Two of my three

children were even born here.”

Bridges grew up and lived in Santa Ana for most of his life. He

traveled from there every day to work at the hospital, but eventually he

was seduced by the charm and convenience of Fountain Valley, where he and

his family have lived since 1991.

Bridges, who was originally a cabinet maker, said that although some

of the work he did was interesting, he didn’t really care for working in

the same room day after day.

“I used to make table tops which would be shipped out to Terminal

Island prison,” Bridges said. “But it was always the same people and it

got boring. Here, at the hospital, I’m always working with and meeting

new people.”

MAN OF ALL TRADES

Bridges’ role changes daily, but there is not much that this man

cannot handle. On any given day, tasks can vary from general maintenance

work to plumbing and locksmith work. The maintenance man always has a

full plate. He routinely checks the assignment board for jobs that

require his attention.

“If they need to re-key or install a push button access lock, I do

it,” Bridges said.

ALWAYS A CHALLENGE

The job is always challenging and interesting too, and this is the

aspect of his daily routine that keeps him motivated. But it is perhaps

the continuous variety of characters that wander in and out of his daily

existence that keep this jovial man so content.

“Sure the pay and benefits are great,” Bridges said. “But there are a

lot of interesting people that work here and its become a home for me.”