Work all day and all night. That is the motto of most people. Times these days have shifted from the usual 8 hours a day, 5 days a week work routine to longer hours. There are also so many other schedules which can be fluid and unpredictable. Still, the ever so called “on-call” professions can be the worst. These are the jobs which you are needed anytime and anywhere. You are expected to respond immediately or else you would be demoted or even lose your job. Also, you are expected to drop anything in the blink of an eye. Having dinner with your family and friends? Nope, duty calls and you need to leave. Having a date with your hopefully one and only? Nope, duty calls again and this time it’s urgent. Are you in bed longing for some alone time and ready to sleep? Nope, your supervisor is waiting and your teammates and colleagues have gone missing and/or they need back up.

This is the lives of the so-called first responders. They are usually the ones who risk their lives for the sake of others. Policemen track down criminals and lead investigations on dangerous activities. Paramedics and medical staff have to alert always to save a life. Firefighters literally need to put themselves in front of hot burning flames to make sure you are safe (or rescue rebellious little kitten from the electric poles). Nonetheless, these people do not just sacrifice their lives but also their time.

Sometimes, we forget that these people are human, too. We might think of them as superheroes who save the day and that’s all that they can do like those Marvel and DC characters. However, that is not the case. It is easy for us to say that they should always follow our every whim and every little gash that happens to us is their fault. In reality, they probably did the best they could. You might think they are indestructible and can make miracles but unfortunately they are are not. These people are human too, and are prone to make mistakes as we all do. They risk their lives everyday just to keep us all safe. It may not be a perfect world, but truthfully most are doing their jobs in the best way they can.

So if they are the ones protecting us, who are protecting them? As the first responders are the ones protecting the citizens, their salaries are handled by the government. The wages of the these people are not even enough for their own families and they have one of the most crucial roles in society. Even their benefits can sometimes be not enough, especially if they have a permanent disability and could not work in the field anymore.

You may have seen many cases of American veterans who lost their homes and families after they have given up themselves for the country. Most of them are diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and there are so many people who still cannot understand this. They end up on the streets, alone with the meager cash they get from begging and the coins from the government only enough to cover for one meal a day. Worse, they end their lives because of too much loss and misery. It is very tragic to see these heroes neglected by the government. There are already a number of people who took these types of cases to the offices of the law but little to no change has been seen. These people are still waiting and hoping for a better life.

Some may want to argue that these people brought it to themselves, that it was their choice to join the war and come back with a slew of mental problems. However, let us face it: these people are human. Who wants to be trapped in the middle of a war they were not even born when it started? If you were the one chosen to fight on this war, why would you even do it? Any sane person would not want a war to happen in their neighborhood. Imagine if you are not even from that place but you were stationed there to fight the war. There is only so much trauma the brain can take before it collapses. Even the bravest of people cower with fear in their hearts in the middle of a warzone. When these soldiers return, thir families are happy to see them whole and alive. Sadly, as one former soldier had said, war never leaves you. One may have left the battlefield, but your brain can still be in war. This affects so many families but these soldiers are afraid to go to a psychologist because: a. the stigma against the practitioners of psychology and; b., the stigma against the people who turn to psychologist for help. Thankfully, the awareness for mental health is growing and so many people who recovered from trauma. Also, advancements in physical therapy are also going on making it easier for people with temporary or permanent physical abilities heal faster. These are now included in the usual packages that the government gives them as benefits.

These are the situations these people face when they are hurt at their work. On the other hand, what about the people who still do dangerous and life-threatening jobs but are not in law enforcement or medicine? Examples of these jobs are construction workers, miners, seafarers and the like. They can also lose a limb, a foot or their lives on the job. Thankfully, they are also protected by the government through the benefits they get by doing their job. With this, they and their families are protected and they can have at least a little peace of mind.

If you are interested to know more about the benefits that you may have as a worker, you can visit www.hurtatworknyc.com if you work in New York. They have a live chat where you can ask questions or you may visit their office. It would be best for you to know what benefits that you can have if you are hurt at work!