Treats and words of encouragement delivered to first responders

For first responders, Christmas is just another day at the office. The 9-1-1 calls keep coming.

So when they have a moment to feel the Christmas spirit, they embrace it. That's exactly what happened on Christmas Day this year.

Jamie Chandler started "Friends of Austin EMS" five years ago.  Her husband is also a medic. They were delivering treats all day Christmas.

“Every Christmas we have volunteers for each station that goes out and deliver pies, cookies, whatever they want to make that year,” said Chandler.

Year 'round, the group also has other programs going on with first responders, but the holidays are extra special.

“It's important we recognize people who have to work on Christmas Day, Christmas Eve and all of our holidays. They are there 24/7 days a week, whether we need them or not,” said Chandler.

“It's great to know that there is someone thinking about our sacrifices we make to work on a holiday,” said Liz Yankiver, paramedic with ATCEMS.

Even though they are working, first responders make the most of it. This gesture makes working on a holiday even better.

“It's a little hard sometimes being away from your family, but we spend about a third of our lives with our work family. So we aren't with our blood family, but we are with our work family so that makes up for it,” said Yankiver.

It's a small gesture, but it can mean the world to paramedics who may need a break from the everyday trauma they might see at work.