Join Chief Brian Luscomb and Wendy Norris as they dive deeper into Wendy’s powerful story of faith, grief, and resilience in the fire service. In this second interview, Wendy opens up about the devastating loss of her husband, Chief John Norris, who passed away after a line-of-duty incident. With decades of chaplaincy and grief work behind her, Wendy shares how personal tragedy redefined her mission, deepened her faith, and revealed critical lessons about leadership, loss, and legacy. This candid conversation is a must-listen for anyone in emergency services seeking perspective, healing, and renewed purpose.

Listen now on Apple and Spotify, or visit firstlinefaith.com for more.

Follow @ChiefBrianLuscomb for more on servant leadership and faith in action.

00:00 Introduction and Key Takeaways

01:04 Guest Introduction and Background

02:05 Early Aspirations and Career Beginnings

03:53 Challenges and Mentorship

05:33 Career Progression and Personal Life

08:37 The Incident and Injury

16:20 Recovery and Realizations

21:53 Struggles and Support Systems

28:22 A Firefighter's Faith and Helmet Tradition

30:00 The Birth of Firefighter Ministries

31:20 Challenges and Growth in Firefighter Support

33:59 Partnerships and Expanding Reach

41:48 Mental Health and the Impact of Tragedy

48:19 Addressing Suicide in First Responders

53:07 Advice for Firefighter Organizations

#FirstlineFaith #FireService #LineOfDutyDeath #FaithInAction #GriefSupport #FirefighterLife #Resilience #WendyNorris #Chaplaincy #MentalHealth #LegacyBuilding #LeadershipAndFaith #ServantLeadership #EmergencyServices

Join Wendy Norris as she recounts her incredible journey from childhood dreams of firefighting to surviving a life-altering line-of-duty injury. In this moving conversation, Wendy shares how she found new purpose in the face of devastating physical and emotional loss. Discover how her faith and calling led her to found Firefighter Ministries, pioneer support systems for fallen firefighters’ families, and advocate for mental health and resilience in the fire service.

This powerful episode is a testament to endurance, leadership, and healing through faith.

Listen now on Apple and Spotify, or visit firstlinefaith.com for more. Follow @ChiefBrianLuscomb for more on servant leadership and faith in action.

00:00 Introduction and Key Takeaways

01:04 Guest Introduction and Background

02:05 Early Aspirations and Firefighting Journey

03:53 Career Beginnings and Mentorship

08:37 Injury and Its Aftermath

16:40 Struggles and Recovery

22:07 Finding Purpose After Injury

28:19 A Firefighter's Faith and Resilience

30:00 Creating Firefighter Ministries

30:46 Challenges of Connecting Resources

31:20 The Birth of the Task Force

33:59 Partnership with the State Fire Marshal's Office

36:05 National Expansion and Recognition

37:02 The Impact of Catastrophic Events

41:48 Mental Health and Post-Traumatic Stress

48:19 Addressing the Rising Suicide Rates

53:30 Advice for Firefighter Organizations

56:28 Conclusion and Future Discussions

Andy Starnes is a highly experienced and dedicated firefighter, emergency services entrepreneur, husband, father, and leader in our industry. With Christian values applied to a Servant Leadership mentality, he has changed the fire service and influenced firefighters as well as chief officers across the nation. His efforts actively improve fire house culture and lead others to foster professional development advantageous to ethically sound success. The company that he successfully developed, named Insight Training, specializes in Thermography and its applications within Fire and Emergency Services. This technology provides cutting edge advantages that are attributed to significant rescue capabilities within, otherwise, inhospitable environments. The training provided by Insight leads the industry in this subject matter. There is no other educational specialist capable of delivering quality training in our industry that exist within this highly specialized field. With passionate views pertaining to family, Christianity, brotherhood, and leadership, Andy has inspired individuals and organizations around the world. The sacrifices and leadership Andy provides saves lives and his cultural influence improves fire houses across the globe.