Why First Responders Face a Higher Risk of Tick-Borne Illnesses

First responders put their lives on the line every day, facing extreme conditions to protect and assist others. While the obvious dangers of the job are well known, one often-overlooked occupational hazard is tick exposure. Due to the nature of their work, emergency personnel—including paramedics, firefighters, search-and-rescue teams, and law enforcement officers—are uniquely at risk for tick bites and tick-borne diseases.

Ticks thrive in environments that first responders frequently navigate, such as:
✅ Search-and-rescue operations in dense forests, tall grass, and wooded areas
✅ Emergency responses in disaster zones with overgrowth and debris—ideal tick habitats
✅ Medical calls in rural and suburban areas where patients may be in tick-prone locations (yards, trails, fields)
✅ Firefighting and law enforcement assignments in wooded, grassy, or overgrown landscapes

What makes the risk even greater? Protective gear and uniforms can make it difficult to spot ticks, allowing them to attach and go unnoticed for hours. Given the serious health risks associated with tick-borne diseases—including Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, babesiosis, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever—it’s crucial that first responders integrate tick prevention into their safety protocols.

Essential Tick Safety Measures for First Responders

Because their job requires them to be in unpredictable, high-risk environments, first responders must take proactive steps to protect themselves from ticks.

Here are key prevention strategies every first responder should follow:

✔ Wear protective clothing – Long sleeves, pants tucked into boots, and light-colored uniforms make spotting ticks easier.

✔ Conduct thorough tick checks – Perform a full-body and gear inspection after working in tick-heavy environments.

✔ Wash and change clothing post-shift – Ticks can hitch a ride on uniforms and attach hours later. Showering and changing immediately after work reduces risk.

✔ Educate all team members – Tick awareness training is essential to ensure all responders recognize risks and know proper tick removal techniques.

By integrating strong tick prevention habits into daily protocols, first responders can significantly reduce their risk of tick-borne diseases while continuing to serve their communities safely.

At TiCK MiTT, we’re committed to protecting those who protect us. Our mission is to provide reliable tick removal tools and educational resources to help workplaces—especially high-risk occupations—stay safe, informed, and prepared.