While the main emphasis of the chapter is on the ways that emergency services (ES) volunteers cope, it also explores the concept that ER protocols, or the lack thereof, may reinforce resilience, or during critical incidents add sufficient strain to produce burnout among ES volunteers. While the overall findings of our reaearch reveal an ongoing and amazing resilience in ES volunteers, it will be postulated that where there are no organizational protocols to provide the rules for all types of rescue situations and outcomes, the level of stress on some volunteers can be very great. Qualitative accounts from volunteers give us an insight into why they volunteer, what they gain from working in the emergency services area and tips on how to stay sane under stressful conditions
