More and more people are being asked to work from home in an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19. But in order to keep cities and states running, some people just cannot work from home, like firefighters, paramedics and sanitation workers.

Douglas Washington drives a sanitation truck throughout New York City. Washington pulled over to speak to me on his Queens route. He said sanitation workers often feel like supermen with amazing immune systems from handling city waste. But he’s worried about his family getting ill.

“I’m nervous because I’ve never seen anything like this before,” Washington said. “In all my 25 years in the industry … all the outbreaks of diseases or viruses that have occurred.”

John D’Alessandro, a volunteer firefighter in upstate New York, said one precaution his team is taking is with their gear.

“We wear certain personal protective equipment: glove, facial, respirator,” he said. “We’re limiting the time that people spend at the station.”

Ron Kuley, a trained EMT in Fairfax, Virginia, said other people in the community should stick to social distancing to help first responders.

“Stay in place. If there’s no reason to go out, don’t go out,” Kuley said. “Let’s not overwhelm our 911 or our emergency rooms.”

He said his department hasn’t seen an increase in calls so far. But it is bracing for that and making plans on how to stay in operation if at least 25% of his co-workers start to get sick.