Hero to zero: rural emergency workers' heavy burden

All frontline workers are exposed to trauma but those in rural areas grapple with added pressures. (Dan Himbrechts/AAP PHOTOS)

Rural first responders who rush to bushfires, car crashes, floods and medical emergencies are often celebrated as local heroes, the glue holding communities together.

But being hailed a hero makes emergency staff highly visible in their small communities, increasing the emotional toll and stress of the job, research has found.