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You might not notice him at first.

But when Anita Donut or Syd Rock hits the wall a little too hard at a Tucson Roller Derby bout at Bladeworld, Walter Pickett rushes out from the sidelines.

Pickett, 52, is a volunteer medic for the local derby league. He also offers his services to the Southern Arizona Rescue Association and Arizona-1 Disaster Medical Assistance Team.

"I don't like to see people suffering," Pickett said.

The Tucson native's interest in medicine was piqued around 1980 at a church service here. A child in his parish passed away one night, and Pickett realized that if someone was in need right in front of him, he would have no clue how to help.

Wanting to learn some lifesaving skills, he received his medical training while serving in the military during the '80s and '90s. He is now a licensed practical nurse working at Avalon Health and Rehabilitation Center.

He typically volunteers two or three days a month for Tucson Roller Derby, with similar time commitments for other organizations.

He says he volunteers to help pass the time and for the unique feeling that you're making a difference.

Pickett's volunteering spirit took him to New Orleans for disaster assistance after Hurricane Katrina. He spent two weeks in the area with some 30 others from the Arizona-1 Disaster Medical Assistance Team.

In Tucson, he has been on the front lines of roller derby action since the first Dust Devil tournament in February 2006. The Dust Devil is a regional tournament in which squads from as far as Los Angeles and Seattle battle for supremacy in Tucson.

Pickett had been a casual fan of the sport prior to his work at the Dust Devil, but when the league sent out an e-mail looking for medic volunteers, he offered his services.

Before Pickett and his medic partner Joe "Bones" Luglio got involved, Tucson Roller Derby had been relying on a cell phone and 911 for medical assistance.

Pickett hasn't missed a game since he started, helping out skaters suffering everything from seizures to fractured collar bones to broken wrists.

He helps keep the bizarre world of roller derby skating along at maximum safety levels.

"No elbows," he said.