Preservation of life is the most gut-level response in a human being. Whether your own or others.
When you're in a job that focuses on preservation/salvation of a human life, the training that promotes instantaneous thought and action, with the uncontrolable adrenaline that accompanies an emergency, you tend to do amazing things.
A bit like court-martialing Audey Murphy for some of the mad things he did. Or the Hadfitha Marines are acting as though they were at war. Sad to see that the brass are always the brass.