My dad was gone for 36 to 48 hours at a time AND 150 miles away! He was neither fire nor police.
There are other occupations out there that require separation from family.
Fire, police or other, a missing parent is not good.
My biggest salvation was my grampa lived a mile away, was retired and spent hours and hours with me. I spent MANY hours walking (rural area) walking that mile back and forth.
I spent a summer as an OTR driver. To get home more than 2 or 3 times a month was rare. ....and seldom more than a day!
Came in from a road trip. The youngest crawled up into my lap and fell into a deep sleep.
That's when her mom told me, "She's been telling the neighborhood kids she doesn't have a daddy anymore. He left home!"
Sitting right beside the phone, I simply turned and called Human Resources!
"This is So & So! Tell them I won't be back. I quit!"
She and I spent the next three weeks finding me another job! I was still driving, but I was home every night.
....and the old argument about, "Never know if they're coming home!"
If you have to drive to your work location, there is a chance, "....you won't make it home!..."
How do I know?
December 16, 1991!
Involved in a head on collision!
Didn't make it home for 3 weeks! Other driver never made it back home!
It's a chance we all take!