You're Not Alone in This Fire Life

This episode features a conversation between Alex and Hannah, two fire wives reflecting on their early experiences entering the fire service lifestyle with little guidance or community. Hannah shares how isolation, age differences, and lack of local support made the early years difficult, while both highlight how transitioning to a larger department introduced some resources but still left critical gaps—especially around supporting spouses, communication, and mental health awareness. Their discussion centers on the importance of building intentional relationships within the fire community, particularly among spouses, to reduce isolation, strengthen marriages, and create a more resilient “fire family.”

They emphasize that while the job’s demands are unavoidable, the way families navigate them can improve through connection, honesty, and mentorship. By forming local networks, hosting informal gatherings, and proactively reaching out to newer spouses, they’ve seen firsthand how community can shift attitudes, reduce anxiety, and provide practical support. The conversation ultimately advocates for a balanced, realistic approach to the fire life—acknowledging its challenges while reinforcing that no one should navigate it alone.

Takeaways

•  Isolation is one of the biggest risks for fire spouses, especially early on 
•  Building relationships with your partner’s crew reduces stress and uncertainty 
•  Communication is the most critical tool for navigating the lifestyle 
•  Support systems should include both local connections and broader communities 
•  Mentorship from more experienced spouses helps normalize challenges 
•  Fire family culture requires intentional effort, not passive participation 
•  Honest conversations about difficulties are more helpful than sugarcoating

Transcript

Alex And Hannah (00:02.734)
Welcome to the Fire Family Collective podcast. I am not Amanda. I'm Alex. I was on an episode earlier, but just a little introduction. I am a fire wife from West Texas. My husband's been in the service for about five years and I'm super excited to be hosting with Fire Family Collective today and I have Hannah on here. Hannah is a fellow fire wife here in West Texas as well.

And we just wanted to talk about a little bit of her experience with coming into the service, not having support at first, not finding kind of her local fire family. And then how that has changed over time and kind of our passion of where we help rookies come in and hopefully find that and make a little bit of change. So welcome Hannah. Hannah, how about you start and just tell us a little bit about

your family, your husband, how long have y'all been together, how long has he been in the service, that kind of info. Yeah, so I have been with my husband for almost 11 years total and eight years married this year. We have two kids, five and three, and my husband's been in the department or service for almost 10 years, so almost as long as we've been together.

And he's been in two different departments, right? Yes, started in a small town at age 19, so he jumped right in after high school. We have a program here where you can get your EMT through the college. So he did that during high school and was able to start right away. So yeah. So y'all were when you started out, you were in a smaller town, but you didn't live there.

Nope. Right. Okay. was about an hour commute from where we live now. So. Yeah. And so, and I know there's a lot of our families that don't live in the same town that their husband works. And so how is that and how was that coming into this department? How did that affect your, I don't know, finding your community? It was definitely rough at first. So one, we were 18 and 19. So the babies of the group, everyone at his department, especially that one were in their thirties.

Alex And Hannah (02:15.894)
and we were 18 and 19. So we definitely had to learn who was, who they divide with. So the first year was pretty rough learning about everybody and one, I never really went to the department often because it was an hour drive and I worked. And yeah. So you didn't just like pop in on a Tuesday and say, yeah, we had to plan our visits.

We didn't have any kids so that was a lot easier on us at the time but it took about a year before we had any newcomers that were at least closer to our age so it was very awkward at first. Well it's hard to come into an established department, a group that already knows each other and especially if they're constantly telling you, you're the babies, you're so young. All the time. Then you kind of feel...

I don't know, maybe like invalidated a little bit. Yeah, very left out in a sense. Just everybody had been working there more than five years each. Yeah. And like I said, they were all in their either early thirties, mid thirties, or I think there was a couple guys in their forties. And so we really just felt out of place. And it was his first time being in the service. And then I was new to the whole thing. And so we both just didn't know how to navigate it. And we were just like, let's just go for it. So how was that?

Being both new to the service. I know he has a little bit of family connection His brother was a firefighter and his little bit before I'm in his grandpa. Yeah So he's a little bit but not a ton of knowledge of the service. Yeah. Yeah. So how was that coming into? the department as babies and Really you had to figure it out on your own. I mean you didn't have anyone

to call, like what do I do when this happens? Yeah, didn't have any, like I said, we didn't have anyone our age for the first year. My husband's captain was really great with him. He took him in under his wing like his own son. He had daughters too, so he loved it. But he did a journal system where his captain, or he would tell his, or they would tell my husband, write.

Alex And Hannah (04:26.176)
in this journal about your day. could be anything good, bad, like it could just be a casual conversation if nothing happened that day and I will take your journal when you're off duty and I will write you back. And he said that was one of the best things that happened to him because it really opened up that relationship with him but it also gave him experience like in the Captain Learn new things that he never experienced being there for however many years. So that kind of helped him.

Process but as far as me, I had nothing. Yeah, I would You know luckily nowadays you have your husband or spouse's location on the phone So I would be able to check every once in a while and see where he was at if he didn't text me back because I was very nervous at first it took me a long while to earn that Okay, he's not gonna die today Because I was young I didn't know anything and Yeah, yeah, and so okay, so he was on that department

and y'all just had to trial by fire. mean, how did that affect your relationship? It was time, like it tested us at times for sure. He would, you know, come down, like come down, come home and, you know, be quiet or something. Like, are you good? He's like, yeah, I'm good. Or he, at first he was not very open.

our relationship about his feelings anyways just because you know the older generations they were taught to hold their emotions in and so it took him a while to talk to me about stuff like that so that was a problem but as we got more comfortable and learned okay this is what it's like being in the fire department he was able to talk to me more but mainly he just kept it at work and try not to bring it home so well and that's probably hard when you don't have a mentor on the department to say

Hey, what are the things like there's a huge talk right now thankfully across firefighting around the world about PTSD and about mental health and But at that point if you don't have anyone that you're talking to Hey, what are the signs I need to look for? Yeah, did he just have a bad call or is it still affecting him that he needs to talk to someone? Yeah, or is he tired like I didn't really know what to look for. Yeah, I mean and y'all thankfully were never put in that position

Alex And Hannah (06:41.954)
where it got serious. But I feel like there could be, that could be a dangerous spot for someone to be Yeah, and not to mention him being in such a small town, that was the only fire department. Like they were, there's only one station, so he ran on everything. Every medical, every fire, every lift assist, whatever it was, he ran it. So he was a lot more exhausted too, because there wasn't another, I mean, they would call in people if they absolutely needed it, but it was him and that crew.

All day. 24-7. that's gonna be hard. Yeah. Yeah. So, you were there for about five years. Kind of trial by fire there. And then he transitioned to our municipal department here. Yes. Which is a lot bigger. Instead of one station, we have 13 going on 14. yeah. With three shifts. We do a Kelly schedule. I'm not even... If you don't know what that is, look it up because it's really hard to explain. Yeah.

You just set your repeat on the calendar for nine days and hope for the best. But we, so that's where we met. We met in, they went through rookie year together here. So my husband's true rookie year and I guess yours re-rookie year. Yeah. What are we starting over? Rookie number two. But we both sat through a class that

our local department calls Family Matters, which it's absolutely wonderful that they have this. Very helpful, because I didn't have that going into the small department at all. So at least I got something here. Yeah. So from the beginning, just kind of in a nutshell, they pull spouses and partners and girlfriends and whoever into this Family Matters class. And they did kind of like a panel the year we did it, where they went up and they told stories. And it was really about what to expect, what your

spouse or husband's going to experience on the department, what a typical day might look like, what station life is like, etc. They told us about the job. Well, we've talked since then, it's almost been five years, multiple times about how that was great. We liked knowing what we were getting into, but we also felt like there was this... Missing piece. Missing piece, yeah. They focused a lot on...

Alex And Hannah (08:52.067)
You know, your husband's gonna be tired. They're gonna come home and maybe need a nap and you need to make sure you have all your stuff taken care of at home so you don't stress him out and he needs us, he needs us, he needs us. All of it was true. We are not invalidating any of it. But it missed that flip side of, okay, he's been there. And at this point we both had, I had two kids and you had one. But we missed that flip side of, okay, he also needs to understand that at home it's also hard.

And I was a stay-at-home mom. I know you were working, but I was learning. I was, I think I was pregnant with my second and learning about that. Like getting prepped for that, but not only that, he was. Yeah, like what's a newborn? What's a newborn gonna be like when he's on shift? Like you have to be the one to wake up and. Well, especially with two. I learned that with our first one, but.

Again, it's a lot. Yeah by yourself a lot of it by yourself. Yeah, so we have talked about just this need And how we you know, you got to experience the whole figure it out on your own And then when we came to this department It wasn't total figure it out on your own. We were given a couple resources but at the same time it was Here's one side of it. Don't figure the other side out on your own

And so we have kind of just found and we've had lots of discussions about how that's dangerous. I mean honestly that's dangerous for rookies and the people supporting them without teaching, you know, what to look for in the signs and how to communicate in your relationship and what's going to be needed. I don't know. Is there anything you want to share on that? You nailed it. Okay.

I think I had a question in there somewhere and then my mind just went blank. So we kind of, that was kind of our start in talking about FireFamily. And when I found this, I thought how great for departments that are like your smaller town department where you don't have people to go to, like y'all can get on FireFamily Collective or find other resources. I mean, we have so many social media things nowadays, but.

Alex And Hannah (11:08.847)
where you can connect with other spouses across the nation or across the world really and have someone to back that up. But it is important to find people in your local department too. kind of a transition, we'll come back to that thought because it ties back in, but we know, and I talked about this on my episode before a little bit about how from some of the older guys in our department,

and the older families and my husband's dad was on this department years ago, he's retired now. But we know from some stories that there's this legacy of community and there's this fire family that everyone talks about and what it used to feel like in our local department. And we've talked about how there's kind of been this middle gap. I mean, I don't know what there is to blame. Something happened. I don't know if people get busy with kids and...

Or if there was some kind of shift of mentality of like now it's just a job and it's not a I don't know. But something was missing and we kind of realized that as we came in. So you and I connected more when our husbands were going through medic school. Together, yeah. We both just had a newborn. Yeah. So that was that was that. Don't recommend. No, not at all. But why do you think it's important and why do we kind of push now getting to know your local?

Yeah, it's definitely nice to have somebody like when my husband was in his small department There was the fire wives were there and of course they mentioned like if you need anything let me know but I just never felt like I could reach out because one age gap was a huge thing and two they Just never gave me that warm fuzzy feel. I don't know. I don't know how to describe it Yeah, it was just awkward still even though he had been there for almost five years But coming here I realized one

There's a lot more departments, a lot more women are closer to my age and there's a lot more support in a sense. so... Well with more people you'll be able to find someone you click with. Yes, absolutely. And so the more people that we can find, whether it's local or not, to click...

Alex And Hannah (13:19.567)
find somebody we can click with is gonna be really important. Yes, and they even told us at that Family Matters, they're like, meet somebody at your table, give them your phone number, and we did. We weren't at the same table, I was like, I don't know you, why would I give you my number? Well, not to mention, I think two of the husband-wife duos at our table were in their late 30s and were like, we still feel like a baby. And so luckily, it wasn't bad, but I'm glad we did switch numbers with somebody, like even though I never really reached out to any of those wives.

At that table I knew in that moment that I was going to have somebody eventually I just had to get out there and meet them. Yeah, and we needed to build that community to make that happen because yeah Well, there's just danger and isolation. Yeah, I mean if you're by yourself It's really easy to fall into the pit of worry. It's easy to fall into the pit of being just content It's easy all the things right and when a wife feels completely separated from the job, I think that's

can breed discontentment in your marriage. It's like they're going to their other wife, which is work. Or their other boyfriends, we like to joke. I don't know how much of a joke that is sometimes. But it's easy for like bitterness and jealousy to grow, you know, like when they're at the station instead of at your family event. And so, I mean, just in isolation, it's dangerous for your relationship.

So how, what are some steps I guess for if wives feel themselves in that kind of spot of maybe I don't know anyone and I do feel this kind of resentment for the job or maybe I do know people but I don't connect, I don't know. What are some things that maybe we have done or they could do to help with that? I think exactly what we did. Alex and I came together.

after becoming good friends over the course of our husband's paramedic journey, we decided to get together and create a group of all the fire wives, spouses, whoever. And so we did a girls' night trial. We wanted to make sure it was gonna be something we were even good at, because we weren't sure. Ended up being great. All of the spouses were like, we enjoyed this, do it again.

Alex And Hannah (15:36.559)
And even the husbands went to work the next day and were like, my wife came home and was like, I got to meet new people. Like they loved it. We need to do it again. And so after that, we looked at each other we're like, yes. I think we were a little bit shocked because we were like, what if everyone hates us? That's where both of our minds go. And I feel like a lot of us can relate to that, but we're like, we left that night overthinking as we do. And we're like, everything went wrong. And I mentioned on the last podcast, like I had put the time was 6.30, but on the other

Invite I put six and so we showed up and everyone was already there and we were like immediately I was like they hate us we're done but we still reached out and started that I think if that's not your thing to start a women's group because it is scary. It is hard yeah. I mean we were scared because we had heard of maybe some past drama and we're like nope we're out of there if there's any drama we're out. Yes. It's literally hang out casually.

We're just doing trivia to have fun. But even if you don't want to do that, I think it's really important. We've talked how important it is to know your husband's crew. And so what does that mean to you? Because you know your husband's crew pretty well. yeah, definitely. Especially the guys who have come over the last five years as rookies. Getting to know the crew. They're all, I know, I'm like the guys.

It was definitely awkward at first there were some older guys on my husband's crew and of course having kids I'm like I can't be nervous because they need to not be nervous around these guys that could potentially save their life one day But it wasn't bad. They were very welcoming invited us to stay for dinner and we're like, no, we're good. It's fine But they're very welcoming definitely a different vibe from when my husband was in his small town like they were like hey come hang out like come in let's get you a drink like what do you want and Yeah

It's and it's important to know them and for them to know you and you don't have to be you know We never want to be the one that shows up all the time. Yeah, and they're like, my god that person again But it's also important for us to know and I think we've talked to a lot of rookie wives about Knowing your husband's crew will help your worry. Mm-hmm It will help alleviate some of your worry of you know, if you hear they're on a big fire but I know his crew's that's walking into that with them and the

Alex And Hannah (18:01.699)
you know, the lieutenant that's commanding outside, if I know them and I trust them, then I'm less worried about what's going on. Yeah. And also if you know they're going on big fire and you've become, you've built that relationship with the crew, their wives also are going to be in that. So you can message them, but like, did you hear you were on a fire? Like if you need me, I need you vice versa. That definitely helps out. We've done that recently. our guys don't go on fires together very often just because of where they are in the city, but

They were on something. There was a big fire downtown that happened to all of I hadn't heard anything yet and so I was able to text Hannah and like, have you heard anything yet? She was like, yeah, he just sent me this. And so we knew that at least he was okay. I mean, I don't think I think about that a lot. Not as often I know a lot too. So knowing crews, it can change your attitude around it. It can change the feeling of the community.

and having people to lean on when you know who they're going to work with every And then like we said, we started hosting events. We realized, okay, we have this problem in our department that we don't know anybody. That's really where it stemmed from. We didn't know people. And so we were like, I bet there's other people that feel that way. And so why don't we start something just to meet people, just as simple, get to know other people so that maybe we could find friends. Cause that's pretty much it.

And so we had that event and that was just a small I think there was like 30 girls there maybe. Yeah, we were shocked. I think you told me there would be like seven. You're making too much food. to bug our husbands like please send out this flyer because we don't know anybody. And so they were like, I guess. And so they would maybe we made flyers and we had them put them up at the station on the bulletin and they were like tell them to invite their husbands and wives.

Some of them were hesitant. like, the past groups were awful. There was drama. like, we don't want drama. We just want to meet somebody new. Like, especially in our age group. there would, we just hired on the new rookies, right? Like maybe a couple months prior and they didn't know anybody. I was like, this is a great opportunity for them to not only get with the girls that they met over the fire academy when their husbands or spouses were in and now they can meet other people who've been there a little longer.

Alex And Hannah (20:23.319)
So they can vibe with them just a good chance to like make some change Because we have seen and we have a mutual friend you introduced me to them though that has some history with PTSD and trauma related to the job and I don't know. I think I've realized just how important it is to have people and we want to start that Because you didn't have that. Yeah And so you see more the importance because you've experienced both sides. Absolutely

When we look at these new rookie wives coming in, we get the blessing, I guess, we've started working with our local academy. Our husbands teach there, so I guess it's by default, but they didn't have better choices. But talking to the new cadets coming out of the academy and their families, we are blessed to be able to do that. We get to do that just next week, and I'm excited. But reaching out to local

department, rookie wives too. We don't have an established thing in our department yet, but being able to reach out and meet them and know them is very important. So what is one thing that you wouldn't want a new rookie wife to know? What's kind of your wisdom you would tell them? Definitely the whole part of getting to know your crew, your husband's crew, not your crew, your husband's crew. can become your Yeah, your crew.

Yeah, get to know them. I know it's nerve-racking at first to like, you're like, don't know anybody, I don't wanna, you know, just do it. Just take that leap, take that step because you're gonna end up either finding your best friend in all of this or at least finding somebody that you can talk to on occasion that understands what you're going through because so many people, like, you can imagine how many times I've gone to family events and like, where's your husband? I'm like, where do think he is? He's at work. And like, he's always at work. I'm like,

Comes with the job, man. don't know. I saw this hat that said he's at the station. I I just need that for every family event. Yeah. And they're like, he's always working. I'm like, well, he's off, you know, 20 days out of the month. Sometimes you can plan around him. Not really. like, yeah, knowing that you have somebody that knows what you're going through definitely helps. Because like I said, at the small department, I was 18, he was 19, nobody.

Alex And Hannah (22:49.207)
I didn't, mean, I could talk to my friends, but they would just look at me and be like, that sounds horrible. I'm like, it's not bad. It's just, I need someone else who knows what I'm going through to understand and be like, I know that happened to me too. Like I need to have that. Yeah. And if you have friends outside of the department too, sometimes when we talk about things with them, we're like, I'm just frustrated with this. Someone on the department is going to get it. They've either been through it or they're going to go through it or they are going through it, but they'll be like,

You know what, that does suck, but you know, next time it's gonna be better. Or hey, come over next time that happens and we can let the kids go crazy in the backyard and me and you can just chill. You need that relationship with somebody, at least one person. Because outside the fire service, it's easy to, I mean, depending on your friends, but it's easy for them to not, they don't get it, no matter how hard they try, and it's easy.

for that to breed discontentment. think it's easy. Like you said, you had friends that were like, you know what, that sucks. Why are you doing that? That's crazy. But they just, or they're like, I don't know what to say. I've never been through that. Yeah. And so, um, yeah. Telling, mean, I would tell rookies the same thing. Get to know their crew. Um, and then plan something, even if it's like a cookout at the station, I don't know where you get to know the families. Like we did a trick or treat. I think we trick or treated at the station. Kyle's first year.

And so that's where I met some people and none of them work together anymore. So now I've met more crews through those people. Yes, but When we're talking to rookie wives, I think it's really important to We don't sugarcoat anything We have talked many times like we don't want to be like, yes It's all perfect and everything is so happy and they're hero and it's great because that's not how we really feel, you know But how do we balance kind of that we tell the real?

hard parts of the job without getting into the negativity and just wallowing in our pit, I guess. What, mean, how do you kind of mentor with hope, I guess, in a way that sounds cheesy, mentor in such a way that we don't, we give them the reality without scaring them. Yeah, I mean, just keep it plain and simple, just be like, yeah, there's days that are gonna suck, but just know that there's light at the end of the tunnel. Know that, you know.

Alex And Hannah (25:04.57)
One bad call does not mean their whole career is ruined. Like, you get through it, you work through it, and communication. Like, that's the biggest thing in any relationship, whether you're married to a first responder or married to a school teacher, like, you get through it at the end of the day, and communication is what's gonna get there. Like, if he's having a hard time, and they're just like, I don't know, like, get them, have them talk to him, like, go talk to so-and-so on your crew, or like, they have a chaplain team, or whatever, but.

I say your biggest thing is just communication. Like if they just need a moment to decompress or spend a couple hours working out to get that out, do it. Like find that thing that helps you cope and get through it. Yeah. Communication's huge. so we've kind of shifted and we're not rookie wives anymore. I feel like we still are. Sometimes. It's five years. Like I'm not trying to, someone's going to listen to this like 30 years in and be like, these girls don't know anything. which is fine. Cause there's so much we still have to learn.

But as more seasoned wives than the rookies coming in I guess Why is it our responsibility to reach out to those new wives So they know that they have somebody they need that support they need to know like hey We've been through this like trust us like even if they don't pick us specifically, but as long as they like during that

thing we speak at during the fire academy, like let them, those family members we're speaking to know like, hey, if it's not us you want to reach out to, reach out to somebody that you do trust or at least you can start to trust and build that relationship with them because it is nice to have somebody, like you said, that knows. Yeah. And I think it's really important to open the door. I mean, you said in the smaller department, it was really hard to get, I don't know, to feel like you could approach someone. Yeah. So I think as seasoned wives, it's

That still sounds weird to say, but I can't think of better word. It's important for us to reach out because a lot of times they don't, maybe they don't know they need to reach out. Maybe that no one has taken that first step. But I mean, we've got to have each other's back. It's like kind of like the wives and spouses and partners are a crew. When they say fire family, that's what we mean. Like if you don't build that relationship with someone, you're going to be over here in Alaska and they're in

Alex And Hannah (27:29.927)
Texas like it's gonna feel like you're off and you need to have that that vibe with somebody you need to have that relationship with them because we are family at the end of the day because we they live was it calculated like one-fourth of the year they're like they yeah they that's their family you got to include yourself on that don't shut yourself out because at the end of the day they'll be there for you when you really need it Matt was at work one day

And I was on my way to my first day back in college after having kids and getting back into it. Tire was flat. And I was like, my gosh, I'm going to be late my first day. And a fireman that was off duty came and saved the day. And we were very grateful for that. So knowing we have somebody around us that are willing to drop something and help us when we need is a blessing. And I think that's important. I like the word family in this because family can be ugly.

Yeah, family can have issues, but at the end of the day you're all in it together. Yeah, like no matter what and as I feel like it just sounds cheesy, but it's so true like You're not gonna have the perfect fire family You're gonna have people that you know, you ebb and flow with you might have issues with but then you come back together But we're all there to support and need each other. Absolutely. So Thank you for sharing all that. I have kind of just a last minute I feel like one of these questions I'm gonna have to remake up because it's

sounds like what already asked you but I cheesily called this priority one because it's lightning round. You've got, I've got five questions for you and just kind of quick answers. First thing that comes to your head. Got it. Okay so if you were giving a survival kit to a new fire wife, like if you were gonna take them a basket or something, what is one must-have item in there? gosh. Patience. No. It's If only we could give patience. Take this, you're gonna need it in the beginning.

I don't know. My phone number. I'd give it to them. Be like, hey, I've been there. I mean, I know I'm still young and sometimes we even get new firefighters that join that are older than us. I'm like, how's that going to work? Like, dude, they look at me and like, you know nothing. Like, you know, but I'll give them my phone number. Like, hey, just even if it doesn't feel like you want to, can, whatever, take it. Yeah, you've got it. Sometimes I feel like we need to pass out like a yellow pages that ages me probably. I'm not that old.

Alex And Hannah (29:54.41)
I am old enough to have yellow pages. But yellow pages for the fire department? Like here's your movers, here's your plumbers, here's your electricians. We've called plenty that they use, a lot of firemen have a second job and we take that. And those are always when stuff goes wrong, they're on shift and we gotta find one of them. Yes. Okay, what is your go-to like easy dinner on nights he's on shift and you've just like had it, you're not cooking, you're not doing it? Cereal. 100%.

Best meal when you're pregnant, best meal when you're alone. We... There's many nights I look at the girls. I have a nine year old and a six year old. Yeah. And three year old. And a three year old. But there's many nights I look at them like, cereal for dinner guys, mama cannot do it. Or my mom called it growing up, fend for yourself night. You find what you want and eat it. I don't care, just eat And then when you make that decision you just pray the milk is still good. Yeah. Yeah. Or you're not out.

Okay, despite like missed holidays and the schedule being crazy, what's your favorite thing about the Fire family? Or the Fire life, I mean, be either one. Honestly, the family that we've grown outside of it. Like if I hadn't, if they didn't do the paramedic course together, we wouldn't have really started talking because we were in different groups during our family matters thing. So like we didn't even talk at that point. So just building those relationships over the years and finding my people.

Because it is so different talking to a friend who doesn't understand like great love them They're my close friends too, but having somebody that understands day-to-day life with a first responder. Yeah, and I think it's like It's You said I remember we've had many conversations about like how hard it is like when you're a kid on the playground you make a friend in two seconds like our

kids will walk up at the playground and like, this is my best friend. I'm like, do you know his name? They're like, no. But like making friends as an adult is so hard. And so like, why not use the built-in fire? We need to make some friends. Yes. Okay. In five words or less, you're going to have to count. What is your best advice for a spouse that's starting rookier? That's a tough one.

Alex And Hannah (32:05.667)
I don't know. Find your people. don't know. Communicate and find your people. Communicate and find your people. Hey that works. Okay, and then what is the biggest misconception people have about being married to a firefighter?

We could do the cliche getting cats out of trees, but my husband's actually done that. I got a text one day, Kyle said, you'll never guess what I did today, and I just jokingly was like, you got a cat out of a tree and helped a grandma cross the street, and he goes...

Yes, actually both. Oh, I was like, there's no way. Matt was at his first department, the small department, he told me that the lunch ladies at the elementary school there spilled gravy on the sidewalk and they had to clean that off. And I'm like, they called 911 to clean gravy off the sidewalk. Well, we had that milk spill on the Anyway, yeah, there's a lot. The biggest misconception isn't really a misconception. They do save cats out of trees sometimes. Oh, I know one. Oh, no. Firefighter calendars.

They're not real. Those aren't the real fire fighters. There's a couple out there. Don't get me wrong. I'm sure somewhere in the world, but majority of the time, no. You know how many sweets they get brought to the station? hot firemen, that's not who's showing up at your door. Absolutely not. Maybe once in a blue moon, but no. So make sure your call's real. Yes. Well, thank you for being on here and Absolutely. Thanks for having me. I hope that that helped some of y'all out there that might be new to the fire life or seasoned and you just needed a repeat maybe of some of that or if you don't have

family go we highly encourage you find your people whether that be local or whether that be through the fire family collective all we have people on there from all over and they share stuff there's an app and you can download and it has just kind of a profile not a profile that's not the right word a platform there we go where you can get support for whatever different things you need and then of course the podcast y'all keep listening on here so

Alex And Hannah (34:05.325)
Yeah, thank you for having us today and I was glad to be back hosting. So there you go. Alrighty, thank you.