My former father in law was fire chief and a tiny little rural department that seemed to be the epicenter of everything bad. 2 fireworks factory explosions in a matter of a couple of years that killed a bunch of people. US 12 across southern Michigan takes a hell of a toll and most accidents are bad ones. There was a fire that killed 4 young children that he responded to that really messed with him for a while.
In one night in that really tiny town a neighbor shot and killed his ex wife, her boss, both of her parents and himself. Then as nearly the entire fire department from the neighboring town was helping out, the house right next door to their department burned and killed 7 people. Just a freak thing that no one could have ever expected.
Firefighters see very bad things, and they see people at their worst. First responders, no matter what field they work in, are amazing people. I thank God that people like them take their oath seriously and are there if and when I need them.
I worked with a carpenter, in construction, who was once a volunteer firefighter in his spare time. Until.......they responded to a traffic accident where the convertible hit by another vehicle flipped and skidded in its (non-existent) roof for many, many yards.
Guess who was tasked with righting it and dealing with the gory results.
He didn't have his heart in it after that.