No matter the emergency, first responders are there when people need help. The people on the front lines feel it’s a calling and a duty, but sometimes, it comes at a great personal expense. Burnout is a major concern among law enforcement, EMTs, firefighters and others.

It’s just another day on the job for Stephen Sawyer. He got off an overnight shift with the New York State Police and has made his way to his other role, an EMS regional manager assigned to the Hudson Valley. In between, he is also an active volunteer firefighter in Accord.

“My personal biggest challenge is saying no, which is not just mine. I share that with a lot of other people in this field. You’re here to help others, and a lot of the time you say yes to an overtime shift, you say yes to staying late and you aren’t taking care of yourself as you should be,” Sawyer said.

Sawyer is a first responder of 15 years. He began as a junior firefighter at age 14. He’s been around the ranks within various fire departments, emergency medical services and law enforcement. Sawyer admitted his routine isn’t for everyone.

“With the fire and EMS, that never stops. Your phone will always ring, the pager’s gonna go off regardless and that becomes quite stressful after a while, especially when you’re trying to balance your personal life, your professional life and your fire/EMS life as well,” Sawyer said.

Burnout is common among first responders, the reason behind it varies from role to role. For firefighters, Sawyer said continuous training can be a drain. Staffing shortages due the pandemic are causing EMTs to be overworked and underpaid. In law enforcement, Sawyer believes the current societal climate, along with legal and political fears are making recruiting complicated. Between the stress and trauma, Sawyer said PTSD is very real for many first responders.

According to the CDC, suicide rates are very high among first responders, but the group tracking that data said there are likely more instances than what many realize due to cases that go unreported.

“We recently dealt with that in our very own district, or response area, with one of our own,” Sawyer said. “That was very tough on the entire area, especially the ones that worked with this member.”

Being open and honest about the reality of the work is key to Sawyer. If something doesn’t feel right, he encourages all to seek assistance.

“We’ve established a therapist that our members can go to for help. I’ve personally used one for years. I just let it pile up and pile up until there was a point where I couldn’t deal with it anymore, and it’s helping,” Sawyer said.

In Ulster County, Sawyer said a mental health training course is being offered to first responders to review how to properly treat patients struggling with mental illnesses, as well as how to take care of themselves.

“We have to be able to maintain our mental health so that we can continue doing what we’re doing to best serve the community and go back to our families and give them the respect they deserve and care they deserve,” Sawyer said.

Despite the challenges, Sawyer said he and his colleagues do their best to serve their community 24/7.

“Sometimes, people call 911 when they are having the worst day in their entire life, and they’re looking for some sort of assistance, and if we can make their day just a little bit better, that’s a win,” Sawyer said.