They deal with hysterical survivors, who may not speak English. They must be able to cope with the inevitable frustration of reaching their own physical limits and the personal anguish they experience in the face of extreme tragedy. In Oklahoma City, the tragedy hit home especially hard when they recovered the body of a fellow firefighter's sister. While psychological help is available for the asking, team members say they find the most support in each other. We're the only ones who really understand what we do and what we go through.
Some people cry, and that's an appropriate response at a given time.
Some people use humor. That too is an appropriate response at a given time. There are physical hazards as well, beyond the obvious dangers of working in unstable structures. Carbon monoxide and toxic air pollution are standard hazards. One Fairfax firefighter recently underwent surgery to remove pockets of concrete that had formed in his sinuses-the result of breathing too much concrete dust.