Wind The Q — The Stories Behind The Sirens is a fire service podcast hosted by Derick Dodson, bringing real conversations from the fireground, the firehouse, and the home. Built around the idea that when we “wind the Q,” we’re initiating the response, this podcast extends that same mindset to the conversations firefighters need to have. Some are easy. Some are not. But all of them matter. From leadership and training to culture, family, and mental health, Wind The Q is about the stories that stay with us long after the sirens fade. Episode 1 — Mental & Emotional Health in the Fire Service In the fire service, there are moments every firefighter recognizes. The tones drop. The bay doors open. The engine rolls out. And somewhere on that front bumper, the Federal Q winds up — a sound that signals we’re headed toward someone else’s emergency, often the worst day of their life. But what happens after the call? When the sirens shut off… when the rigs return to the station… when the gear is put back in place… that’s where the conversation begins. Episode 1 of Wind The Q starts with one of the most important topics in the fire service today: mental and emotional health. Hosted by Derick Dodson, an Engine Officer and member of a departmental PEER Support Team in Northwest Georgia, this episode sets the tone for the entire podcast by addressing a subject that has long existed in the background of the profession but is now finally being brought into the light. Joining him for this first episode is Axel Agan, Director of the same PEER Support Team and a fellow firefighter with firsthand experience both on the job and in supporting others through the mental and emotional challenges that come with it. For years, the fire service culture was built on toughness. Show up. Do the job. Move on to the next call. That mindset created strong, capable firefighters — but it also created an environment where some of the most important conversations weren’t happening. This episode explores how that culture is changing. Derick and Axel discuss how firefighters are exposed to situations that most people will never experience in their lifetime — serious accidents, traumatic injuries, structure fires, and loss. While firefighters are trained to perform in these environments, the emotional impact doesn’t always disappear when the incident ends. One of the key takeaways from this conversation is that the calls that affect firefighters the most aren’t always the ones people expect. It’s not always the biggest fire or the most dramatic rescue. Sometimes it’s something smaller — a moment, a conversation, a smell, or a situation that stays with you long after the shift is over. Derick shares a personal story from early in his career involving a couple who had just celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. The wife had passed away, and the husband, suffering from advanced dementia, didn’t understand what had happened. While sitting in the corner of the room, he told jokes, unaware that his wife of 50 years was gone. That moment — not a major incident by traditional standards — became one that stayed with him emotionally over time. The episode also dives into how stress and trauma can show up in ways firefighters don’t always recognize. Firefighters are known for their ability to compartmentalize — to focus on the task at hand and perform under pressure. But over time, when those experiences are continually pushed aside, they can begin to surface in other ways. These can include irritability, mood changes, trouble sleeping, difficulty concentrating, or simply feeling mentally drained. Often, the first people to notice these changes aren’t the firefighters themselves, but the people around them — their crew or their families. Through the lens of PEER Support, Axel provides insight into what those conversations look like and why they matter. He explains ho
