Moms are the unsung heroes of the world. They work tirelessly every day to care for their loved ones, wearing all kinds of hats and performing nearly every duty under the sun.

They put the needs of their families and friends above their own and ask for nothing in return. Not to mention, most moms have part or full-time jobs on top of all their motherly duties. 

With so many responsibilities, finding a work-life balance can be incredibly difficult. Now, add to that the stress of being a first responder, and things get even trickier.

Firefighters and EMTs work incredibly long shifts multiple times a week, and they never know when that call might come in that could change their lives forever.

What these brave working moms do every day is heroic community service, and for Mother’s Day this year, we’ll be showcasing the strength and dedication of emergency responder moms that have worked hard to serve their fellow neighbors.

EMT Moms

Imagine trying to make time for your friends and family when, instead of having a regular nine to five schedule, you have a full twenty-four-hour shift every third day.

But not just any shift. A shift in which you’re responsible for peoples’ lives. One that requires you to be laser-focused and ready to jump into action at a moment’s notice.

And this is all on top of the duties that come with caring for a child.

With such an unorthodox and stressful job, emergency responder moms often struggle with the time they have to spend away from their families.

Gillian Gennaro, an EMT and mother to her ten-year-old son, goes through this on a weekly basis:

“It’s really hard because I’m actually a single mom…I do have my mom now that helps me out with him, but before it was really hard…I was waking up at 5:30 to drop him off to make it to work on time. We work 24-hour shifts and it’s making arrangements again for him in the night. So in the morning it’s hard because we get up and it’s like ‘how do I get him ready for school’?”

As you can imagine, working around the twenty-four-hour shifts can be a hassle, especially when you want to get some quality time with the ones you love. 

Kimberly Colley, an EMT and mother of two, gets off work too late to see her daughter before she leaves for high school. Luckily, she makes it in time to see her son, but only for a brief fifteen-minute period.

To work around this issue, they stay in touch via cell phone and email.

“The worst thing is being a mom and being away from my family for the 24 hours…It’s really hard. We all live by cell phones and e-mail to keep in communication with each other.”

The stresses and challenges that come with being both an EMT and a mom are unique, to say the least.

But these moms and many like them do it anyways. Not only to protect and serve their community, but to provide for their families as well.

Firefighting Moms

Jessie Adams Haug, a firefighter and mother of three, says firefighting helped her become a better parent in a number of ways.

Getting accustomed to being in intense, life-threatening situations taught her to “toughen up” and “develop a thick skin.”

“Before I started fighting fires, I would freak out so much more as a parent than I do now; one of my kid’s fingers would get pinched in a door and I would panic. Over time, you learn not sweat the small stuff –– and that’s the key.”

Often, after a long twenty-four-hour shift, the work doesn’t stop for moms like Jessie.

There’s always a good chance the house needs cleaning, the laundry needs doing, and there’s always plenty of errands to run.

For a firefighting mom, putting out fires is a never-ending job. But they never hesitate to put their kids and families first, and they do whatever it takes to give them the life they deserve.

Happy Mother’s Day From Rescu!

The selflessness, dedication, and compassion it takes to be both a mother and a first responder is nothing short of inspiring. 

To all the moms out there, we here at Rescu wish you a heartfelt Happy Mother’s Day. We hope your day is filled with love, lasting memories, and plenty of relaxation. You’ve earned it!

As the fastest way to get help in an emergency, the Rescu app is the perfect way to protect you and your family in the event of an emergency. Learn more and download on the App Store or Google Play today.

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