Kentucky firefighter Jimmy Adams saw the ravages of the coronavirus pandemic when he served as a medic who helped care for the sick on medical calls amid surging Covid cases. He knew retired firefighters who died of complications from Covid-19. But he reasoned that they were older and likely had underlying health issues, making them susceptible to the virus. "That's how you make peace with those things," said Adams, 51, a lieutenant. He believed the precautions his department was taking kept him safe. But he refused to get a Covid vaccine. The reason wasn't strictly political, he said. He had grown weary of the debate around masks, mitigation, caseloads and vaccines. In mid-August, both Adams and his wife, Sara, who was fully vaccinated, tested positive for Covid. She experienced mild symptoms, however he was hospitalized with bilateral interstitial pneumonia. His potassium spiked, causing cardiac arrhythmia. He was on oxygen throughout his hospitalization. "I was wrong," said Adams, several days after leaving the hospital. "I suffered a lot. I don't even know at this point in the game if I am going to suffer any long-term effects. Does this change who I am for the rest of my life? I don't know the answer to that. I will be sad if it does." Adams now plans to get vaccinated as soon as his doctor allows it, post-recovery. Still, he, like many firefighters nationwide, does not support mandates for Covid vaccines. Firefighter leadership and the rank and file are divided over such mandates. The International Association of Fire Chiefs has expressed support for mandatory vaccinations. Conversely, the International Association of Fire Fighters has said it "strongly" encourages firefighters to get vaccinated, but does not think it should be mandated. For full coverage of the coronavirus pandemic Firefighters, who more often than not are certified emergency medical providers, have been on the pandemic's front lines since the beginning. Officials pushed to ensure they would be among the first to receive the vaccines, given their role in the medical system. Yet why, after having seen so much, do so many who are trained to save lives still refuse to get vaccinated — while actively fighting against mandates? We are pro-vaccine, we are pro-public safety, but we're just anti-mandate. The fact is you can be all three things at the exact same time.