While professional courtesy among first responders serves legitimate purposes by recognizing the brotherhood and sisterhood among those who share dangerous work, it becomes destructive when it enables dangerous behavior, protects someone from consequences they need to face, allows problems to escalate unchecked, creates double standards that undermine public trust, or prevents someone from getting the help they need.

The same professional identity that may contribute to alcohol problems—through occupational stress, cultural acceptance of heavy drinking, shift work challenges, and difficulty transitioning from high-alert work mode—often becomes a mechanism for avoiding the consequences that might motivate change. This creates a vicious cycle where professional protection reinforces destructive behavior while preventing necessary intervention.