"When all of this is going on, you just think, 'Oh my God, this is it. This is the moment where it's not going to be good.'"

In a dangerous situation, it isn't uncommon to see your life flash before your eyes. But, what if the life you saw wasn't the one you knew you were meant to live? Vehicle accidents are often life-threatening but not always life-changing. For 47-year public service veteran Christine, an on-duty ambulance wreck turned out to be both.

Join host and former firefighter/paramedic  Phil Klein as Christine shares the harrowing details of the deadly crash and the epiphany that led her to the life she knew she always wanted.

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"You have these deputies who are screaming on the radio, ‘Bring more quick clot, bring more quick clot!’ So, it dawns on me, as I’m walking up to the house… these are the same deputies that were screaming, ‘Bring more fire extinguishers!’ last night."

Every first responder has a call that sticks with them long after the final flame is extinguished or the last chest compression is performed. While the circumstances and details vary, every story is an integral piece of the puzzle of what it means to be in public service. Sometimes that picture is happy and sometimes it’s heart-wrenching, but each is framed by the foundational role mental health plays in first responders’ experiences individually and collectively.  

Join former firefighter/paramedic and host Phil Klein as he sits down with Lt. Drew, a nearly 29-year veteran of law enforcement, to discuss the re-emerging topic of mental health. A frequent contributor to law enforcement-related podcasts, Drew shares both personal and professional events that have made him a fierce advocate for ensuring first responders receive the mental and emotional support they need. 

Are you a first responder who has a story from the road you’d like to share? Email storiesfromtheroadpodcast@gmail.com, and you could be featured in an upcoming episode.  

https://linktr.ee/DrewBreasy

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"Soon as my hand went through the window, I felt a leg and I just remember my first thought being, 'Damn, they’re in here.’" 

From navigating the route to a scene to getting on gear and operating equipment, first responders know on each call that an untold number of factors may be working against them. They’re programmed, both innately and through extensive training, to improve or fix a complicated situation, and this mentality is undoubtedly what fuels their ability to deal with the difficult day in and day out. But what happens when everything goes exactly to plan – and the outcome still isn’t what they wanted?

Join former firefighter/paramedic Phil Klein as he talks to Captain Brian, a 19-year veteran of the fire service, to discuss how a call gone right still led to a troubling end when he and his crew were called to a working fire at the home of a family of five. He addresses how disheartening a call like this can be to first responders, the toll it can take on their mental health, and the importance of accepting the mind’s “normal reaction to an abnormal situation.”

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“And I hear somebody say, ‘ESU is here.’ And the firemen make a path. They clear a path. I say, ‘Holy cow, they made a path for us.’ And my partner and I walk up, and there’s this vehicle that they had just taken the roof off of…there’s nothing left of the vehicle.”

From scuba diving operations to trench rescues and overturned tankers to suicide calls, the Emergency Service Unit is ready to be “the answer to anything and everything.” During his 20-year career as a public servant with a major metropolitan police department, Retired Detective Vinny saw more than his fair share of the brutal and bizarre. But when he and his partner respond to one of the worst vehicle accidents of his tenure, Vinny has a difficult time determining whether it’s the devastating crash, what he’s unexpectedly asked to do in its aftermath, or the sometimes-ruthless side of human nature that leaves him the most unsettled.

Join former firefighter/paramedic and host Phil Klein as he shares the mic with long-time friend, Detective Vinny, to revisit the progression of Vinny’s career as a first responder and the incident he describes as the most “interesting and infuriating” call he ever had to deal with. 

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"Early on, you know when my kids were little…every once in a while, I'd get a little flashback. You know, I'd walk in and check on them. I'd shake them to see if they were moving because you look down and they're sleeping… and I'd get that vision of those three sleeping in their bed, too."

When the unthinkable happens, many people are left to witness it on TV or read about it on the front page. First responders, however, must live it, process it, and move on at a moment's notice, ready to calmly and clearly navigate the next call. Some find support through counseling, while others talk through it with their peers. All have calls they’ll never forget. 

On this episode of Stories From the Road, former firefighter/paramedic and host Phil Klein is joined by long-time friend and police medic, Rob, as he recounts one of the most disturbing calls to date in his 28-year career.

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“I started hitting the shoulder of my captain that day and he looks over and says, ‘Yeah, I know.’ From that point, we immediately started going to work.”

Of all the things Captain Matt experienced that day in January, it turns out a snowstorm in Atlanta wasn’t the most unusual. For those in public service, many calls – house fires, motor vehicle accidents, and even medical emergencies – become routine. This seemed to be the case for Matt and his crew when they were dispatched to a motor vehicle accident, which was hardly surprising given the precarious road conditions. Yet, neither the sea of blue police lights nor the uneasy feeling in his gut could prepare Matt for what he would come to recognize as a career call.

Join former firefighter/paramedic and host Phil Klein as 14-year fire service member Captain Matt recounts this amazing story of rescue, survival, and teamwork as well as the critical importance of strong leadership on this episode of Stories From the Road.

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“I was speechless. It was the first ghost I had ever seen from my career.” 

On a snowy Sunday morning in January, host and former firefighter/paramedic Phil Klein sat down with friend and 28-year public service veteran, Thomas. Lieutenant Thomas served his community as a firefighter and paramedic, and he continues to share his knowledge with students in his training academy, Faithful Guardian Training Center (www.FGTC.com). In this first episode of Stories From the Road, Thomas examines his own mental health journey as a first responder. He recalls the pressure those in public service often face to mask their emotions and the haunting reminders of the job that can manifest in the most unexpected places. 

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