10/14/2026
Why Are First Responders Struggling? A Message to Our Communities
Citizens and communities often ask: Why are emergency services struggling? Why don’t more people want to become first responders? Why can’t our services find more staff?
From my experience in EMS, I want to share the human side of those questions. These challenges reach beyond EMS. They affect paramedics, EMTs, law enforcement officers, firefighters, dispatchers, and others who help keep our communities safe.
Many jobs offer scheduled breaks, lunch hours, predictable workdays, and regular sleep. Those schedules allow time for family dinners, children’s activities, and holidays at home. For first responders, those moments are never guaranteed.
An emergency does not wait until we finish eating, get enough sleep, or celebrate a holiday. When the call comes, we respond. A meal gets cold. Sleep is interrupted. A family gathering continues without us. Over time, those missed moments can take a toll on us and the people we love.
Television often shows first responders racing to an emergency with lights and sirens, solving every problem, and saving the day. It can make it seem as though someone will always be available, fully rested, and ready with every answer.
We work hard to be ready when our communities need us. But behind every uniform—and every voice answering an emergency call—is a human being.
We have families, bills, health concerns, and responsibilities of our own. Sometimes someone we love is sick, and we must leave their side to care for or protect someone else. Sometimes we are managing our own health struggles while continuing to show up for others.
The demands differ across our professions, but the sacrifices often overlap. EMS personnel care for the sick and injured. Officers respond to danger and work to protect the public. Firefighters face fires, rescues, and other emergencies. Dispatchers listen to people during some of their most frightening moments and coordinate the help they need.
The emotional weight of this work can be difficult to explain. First responders repeatedly encounter danger, loss, and grief that many people may experience only once—or never. Those experiences do not simply disappear when a shift ends. We need support, time to recover, and access to mental health care.
Pay is another part of the struggle. For some responders, one job does not provide enough income to support themselves or their families. Working a second job helps pay the bills, but it also means less time to rest and less time at home.
In rural communities, volunteer firefighters and EMS personnel can be an essential part of emergency response. Yet volunteering requires time, training, and a willingness to leave work or family when help is needed. As people balance jobs, caregiving, and other responsibilities, making that commitment becomes harder.
When people ask why a service cannot simply hire more staff, these are some of the realities behind the answer. Recruiting someone is only part of the challenge. Keeping experienced people requires pay, working conditions, and support that make a lasting career possible.
I share this because I care about our first responders and the communities we serve. We want to be there when you need us. We also want the people answering those calls to have the opportunity to stay healthy, care for their families, and continue doing the work they love.
First responders are often called heroes, and we appreciate the kindness behind that word. But please remember that we are human, too.
Strong emergency services need communities that understand and support the people who answer the call.
