Not too long ago , the fire service was one of the most coveted and competitive careers one could ask for .

Thousands lined up for physical and written tests , paying out of pocket just for a shot to get on a list that might land would-be firefighters their dream job . Candidates would study for hours on their own time , train aggressively for peak fitness , and hope against hope to be in the top 10 percent of the hiring pool .

Now , the story could not be more different . The applicant pool has shrunk shockingly . What used to be thousands of applicants is now hundreds , if not mere dozens . This unparalleled

staffing crisis is compelling many departments to force firefighters to work up to 120 hours a week .

What ’ s happened to the best job ever ?

One can only guess that the ever-increasing demands and socio-economic loads of the job may actually be causing more than a simple staffing crisis . It ’ s also slowly and silently killing firefighters .

It may sound dramatic , but there is an overwhelming body of proof from the medical and scientific communities that line-of-duty-deaths for firefighters are directly correlated to chronic

sleep deprivation and disturbance . Firefighters ’ well-being and quality of life are at historic lows .

Substance abuse , marital relationship issues , depression , suicide , chronic degenerative disease ( aging faster then you normally would ) and an overabundance of body fat are ever increasing amongst our brothers and sisters .

Recalls , reduced staffing leading to higher strain per resource per day , less downtime to decompress , and sleep deprivation are all negative contributors to the silent suffering that we first responders deal with .

The fire service traditionally took great pride in the “ suck it up buttercup ” mindset , echoing military veterans and type A individuals alike . Firehouse pride included demanding lifestyle choices including no naps , challenging physical workouts , hours of drilling each day , and staying up until midnight on duty hanging out with the crew .

That was before stations were hitting 4,000 to 5,000 calls a year , running more than 16 calls a day with up to 50 % coming after midnight . Taking care of yourself doesn ’ t make you less of a tough man , woman or firefighter . Having situational awareness can mean the

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