first responder
noun
: a person (such as a police officer or an EMT) who is among those responsible for going immediately to the scene of an accident or emergency to provide assistance
Examples of first responder in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The group also used signals from what's known as an avalanche beacon, which allows skiers to send radio signals so they can be tracked by first responders.
—
Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 20 Feb. 2026
Smith, who moved to South Dakota nearly five years ago after serving as a first responder in California, is earning his MBA in leadership and human resources at Augustana University while volunteering at the Juvenile Detention Center and mentoring with Lutheran Social Services.
—Angela George, Sioux Falls Argus Leader, 19 Feb. 2026
Sheriff’s deputies in Ray County are encouraging individuals to avoid the Sunshine Lake area Thursday evening as first responders battle a blaze affecting several structures in the area.
—Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 19 Feb. 2026
There were 46 emergency first responders deployed, officials said.
—Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for first responder
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 20 Feb. 2026
Smith, who moved to South Dakota nearly five years ago after serving as a first responder in California, is earning his MBA in leadership and human resources at Augustana University while volunteering at the Juvenile Detention Center and mentoring with Lutheran Social Services.
—Angela George, Sioux Falls Argus Leader, 19 Feb. 2026
Sheriff’s deputies in Ray County are encouraging individuals to avoid the Sunshine Lake area Thursday evening as first responders battle a blaze affecting several structures in the area.
—Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 19 Feb. 2026
There were 46 emergency first responders deployed, officials said.
—Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for first responder
Cite this Entry
“First responder.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/first%20responder. Accessed 24 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
