The Life Of A First Responder

Why Do It?

Many people ask first responders why they do what they do. It's a hard to answer that question simply.

Yeah, I'm sure some of them grew up having the dream all their life. I'm also sure that a lot of people had that dream as well, but never actually completed that dream. But as you grow older, you have a different viewpoint of it.

When you were five years old, you didn't realize the many hours of physical training you'd have to sweat through. You didn't realize all of the studying you'd have to do. And you didn't realize how so many people could be so ungrateful for what you'd do every day.

Nevertheless, no matter how old you are, if you aren't a police officer, you never truly understand it. You might know someone in your family or circle of friends that is a police officer. You can watch all of the police television shows and movies in the world. You can watch all the YouTube videos you want. Police brutality videos, tribute videos, training videos, etc. You can play all the police video games in the world. But that's about as close as you can get to understanding that line of work without getting into it. And that still wouldn't be enough to completely understand.

You'll never feel the pure fear as gunshots whizz past your head. You'll never get those chills before a certain traffic stop, saying something's just not right. You'll never make tough, life or death decisions that may require years for most people, though you are expected to decide accurately in a mere second. You'll never feel a target on your back, as you protect and serve the people, who want to kill you for your job choice.

But picture for me that you are a police officer at this day and age. All the things I mentioned in the last paragraph, happen to you, just because you're doing your job. And not just any job... A heroic one. But you remain humble, attempting to make connections with the community anywhere you can. From replacing a stolen bike, video game, or wheelchair to a nice conversation at a traffic stop. And even a smile and wave at a stop light. Every little thing you can do helps.

But one day you walk up to a car during a traffic stop. The driver begins to argue about the violation and gets out of his vehicle. As you realize the situation is escalating quickly, you call for back-up on your mic. You're trying every method of de-escalation you've been taught, but the driver just won't calm down.

Suddenly, the driver pulls out a gun. You have NO time to question if it's real or not. You shoot. Everything after that is a blur in the heat of the moment.

After it is all said and done the adrenaline is all over, your bodycam or dashcam video will be posted online for anyone and everyone to see. People with little to no experience in police tactics will watch your split-second decisions on the internet. Then in their quiet, safe home, they will criticize your actions. They will comment what should have been done for days, weeks, months, and even years.

Meanwhile, you suffer from PTSD from that incident and others. You can't sleep at night, because of your nightly nightmares. You have to get some rest from your next shift tomorrow morning, but you can't. You lay there and wonder if you could have done it any other way.

Most likely, you won't tell your parents, spouse, or children. They will worry. If you tell anyone, you'll mention it to your co-workers. They will understand.

But that's what makes being in the first responder family special. No one else can know what police officers, firefighters, EMTs, or dispatchers feel when they do their job, except them. That's what bonds them closer as brothers and sisters.

Many first responders say it's a calling. They want to help people in a big way and make a good impact on the communities. It's true. No matter how they came to this career, first responders all want to help people. One way or another, it truly is a calling in their own way and in their own life.