On her first emergency response, a Lebanese Red Cross (LRC) team member faints after inspecting a mother and baby lying dead in their car. This case describes voluntary service at the LRC and how the center recruits and selects volunteers. The authors explore stressful situations Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) face, which might have a role in the high turnover rate at the LRC, where despite significant investment in selecting and training volunteers, many leave shortly after joining. One LRC leader, Nizar Hassan, seeks to develop a selection program for volunteers, hoping the program will successfully identify and retain individuals who combine both competence and commitment