ROCHESTER, Minn. - A parade of public safety vehicles lined up around St. Marys Hospital, including firefighters, police officers and paramedics - all to say "thank you."

Kate Arms with Mayo Clinic Ambulance says medical professionals need all the support and "thanks" they can get.

"As a healthcare worker right now, the level of burnout is so high, it's scary, it's overwhelming. We don't know what's coming next," Arms said.

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For many healthcare workers, the pandemic is the biggest battle they'll face.

"The hardest part about being on the frontlines, we don't know what to prepare for, we're constantly trying to prepare for the next thing but we don't know what that is," Arms said.

Saving lives is noble but the process is far from glamorous. This pandemic is shedding light on these warriors.

"It can be sometimes a thankless job but right now whether we're out and about or a 911 call, people are super quick to be grateful," Arms said.

The hours are long, the work is grueling, the future is uncertain but helping others is why first responders say they go to work every day - despite the risks.

"It's a privilege to be invited to people's worst moment and to the crisis. It's the worst day of their life, we get to come in and get the opportunity to make it better," Arms said.

This is the first year first responders have collaborated on this parade.