They are the first responders who risk encountering the coronavirus on every shift. And, instead of winding down after work, paramedics are required to self-isolate from family and friends.
Paramedics Association president Chris Kastelan said the state's paramedics had been holding up well during the unprecedented public health crisis but he feared some would soon start to develop psychological fatigue.
"Psychologically it is a challenging time for paramedics; it's certainly hard being at the coalface at work and then not being able to recharge your battery at home," Mr Kastelan, who works as a paramedic on the Central Coast, said.
"Paramedics are really bunkering down and making sure the critical care they are giving patients who are concerned about COVID-19 is very high care.
Not only has the pandemic corresponded with a drop in people attending hospital emergency departments, it has also brought a welcome decline in calls for ambulance assistance for minor health issues.
"We are still responding to those low acuity cases but not as many. It is interesting that people who ring us by default for a minor ailment don't seem to be doing that, they seem to be managing quite ok," Mr Kastelan said.
In an effort to ease the pressure on paramedics, the NSW Ambulance service plans to hire 250 second and third year paramedic students on a casual basis to fill unplanned vacancies following completion of a brief induction course.
Mr Kastelan said the support was welcome, but caution was needed.
A NSW Ambulance spokeswoman previously said the service was working with the rest of NSW Health to provide ongoing support to all frontline staff and their families.
She said NSW Ambulance was providing a continual supply of personal protective equipment to paramedics who were called to patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19.
"At this stage, no crews have been identified as contracting COVID-19 through workplace contact," she said.
"Along with our fleet, facilities such as control centres, education and stations are undergoing enhanced infection control procedures."
