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In the latest Wellness Brief, hosts Emily Hitchings and Greg Friese examine the telling moment when the Cornersville, Tennessee, volunteer fire chief and his entire crew turned in their gear. Hitchings calls the move “a gap in community care,” but the real story, they agree, is the unseen weight volunteers carry long before they say, “It’s best we all step away.”
Friese traces that weight back to personal investment.
“I’m not exaggerating when I tell folks that it took blood, sweat and tears for me to become a paramedic. It’s no different for someone who chooses to be a volunteer firefighter or chief,” Friese said.
Volunteers juggle full-time jobs, family obligations and mounting administrative tasks, often financing station needs out of their own pocket.
Hitchings reminds viewers that self-care is a prerequisite for public care.
“We have to be whole ourselves, otherwise we can’t show up to help our communities,” Hitchings said.
Reframing resignation as a strategic pause, Hitchings urges chiefs and policy-makers to rethink support models — from tax funding to mutual-aid agreements — before burnout forces more exits.
For leaders, the takeaway is simple: when volunteers decide to leave, it is seldom sudden and never simple. Recognizing their limits early and resourcing them accordingly may be the only way to keep the next alarm answered.
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“Sometimes it’s the noblest choice to walk away.”
About The Brief: Wellness Edition
The Brief: Wellness Edition video series explores the wellness implications of current events for public safety professionals. Each episode brings a timely conversation that connects unfolding events to the day-to-day realities of first responders.
