James Parker, IV
Job Title: Lead Fire Alarm Specialist
Company: Commercial Electrical Solutions
Location: West Wareham, Mass.
Age: 24
Years on the Job: 4
Interests: He and his dad enjoy building cars and driving them around. He has a 1987 IROC Z Camaro that he has done a lot of work on.
James Parker IV comes from a long line of journeyman electricians — his grandfather, father, and uncle are all in the trade. By working with his father and taking on a job at Commercial Electrical Solutions, he learned the ins and outs of electrical work.
“When I was little, my dad would bring me on little service calls, and I would just watch him figure stuff out,” says Parker, who hopes to one day run a full construction job.
Now that he is working full time, he specializes in fire alarm wiring and systems. Some days, he works five or more small jobs. Other times, he spends his workday assisting the foreman with the fire alarm on a big project. For example, he installed all the fire alarm wires and devices at a Honda dealership so the foremen could concentrate on other tasks to keep up with the schedule.
“I am the fire alarm tech/get-stuff-done guy,” notes Parker, who says he is good at retaining information.
In this role, he considers technology critical.
“My boss is always asking me if there’s a tool or anything that can help the job go quicker or easier,” he says.
