Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, first responders bore the weight of our daily emergencies, accidents, fires, crashes, deaths. Now, the pressure is even greater in a profession where the turnover, burnout, and tension are already high.
But who are the people we depend on when we call 911?
They spend more time taking care of the average citizen than tending to their own needs. But what are their lives like, and why do they want to help the rest of us?
What makes first responders go back every day? More importantly, at what cost?
As difficult and dangerous as it is for responders, the patient’s journey doesn’t end at the front door of the emergency room. Trauma centers and their care teams have their own immense tasks.
As anyone could imagine and as we’ve seen here, there’s much more going on in the lives of first responders than their encounters with the rest of the community. But we have to actually look, to see it, and we have to listen, to hear what their lives are like and what we ask them to do for us. When you call 9-1-1 – or someone calls for you – they stop at the door or at the edge of the wreck and ask you what religion you are, what political party or candidate you support. They don’t check to see whether you’re wearing a suit, covered in tattoos, or both. They only know you’re human, like them, and a member of the same community.
And that’s enough.
They’re among the best of our communities, and holding them in high regard elevates us all.
