We went live during the Project Fire Buddies Gala setup to capture the heart of the mission before the doors even opened. This episode features conversations with the people who help make Project Fire Buddies what it is today.

We sat down with Kevyn Holdefer, Ryan Ballard, Kelly DeGroot, Kurt DeGroot, and actor Matthew Willig to talk about how Project Fire Buddies was built, why it matters, and the powerful impact it has by pairing firefighters with children facing serious medical challenges.

At its core, Project Fire Buddies is about connection, consistency, and showing up — creating lasting bonds and more good days for kids and families who need them most. These conversations set the tone for an incredible night and an even greater mission.

Still Here 🤙🏻🎧 BTD Website: https://www.BeyondtheDispatch.comBTD Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2jRR6F60PV7sTWWNIsLVJF?si=tkmapUPKS4SIyvMA_pqI4g

This wasn’t about starting a podcast.
It was about helping people before it was too late.

One year ago, two first responders sat down with no roadmap, no audience, and no sponsors — just a shared conviction that silence was killing their peers faster than the job ever did. This episode is where Beyond the Dispatch began. Not polished. Not perfect. Honest.

In this first conversation, Cary and Dom lay it bare: the injuries that ended careers, the trauma that followed them home, the families who carried the weight, and the moment they realized that if they didn’t create a space for these stories, no one else was going to. This show was never meant to be entertainment. It was meant to help. Even if it only reached one person hanging on by a thread.

A year later, this episode hits harder — because everything said here still matters. Because the numbers haven’t gone down enough. Because people are still hurting. And because the mission hasn’t changed.

Still Here 🤙🏻

🎥 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theBTDpod
🛒 Support the mission: https://www.BeyondtheDispatch.com

👉 Follow Beyond the Dispatch for raw stories that bring our heroes out of the shadows — and give them the mic.

In this episode of Beyond The Dispatch, we sit down with Dr. Carrie Steiner, a licensed clinical psychologist and founder of First Responders Wellness Center. Carrie spent 13 years with the Chicago Police Department, where she experienced the realities of policing firsthand, including a police-involved shooting and the loss of her partner while off duty.

After leaving law enforcement, she transitioned into psychology, focusing her work on first responder trauma, PTSD, and nervous system regulation. We talk about why she made that shift and practical tools first responders can use to better manage stress and trauma.

Still Here 🤙🏻🎧 BTD Website:

https://www.BeyondtheDispatch.com

In this episode of Beyond The Dispatch, we sit down with Mario Elias, a retired law enforcement veteran with 30 years of service at the Elgin Police Department.

For 20 of those years, Mario served as a Task Force Officer (TFO) with the Drug Enforcement Administration, operating deep undercover across the globe. His work took him from California and Chicago to Spain and beyond, embedded in high-level narcotics investigations that most only hear about long after the cases are closed.

Mario shares firsthand insight into the realities of undercover work, the mental and personal toll of living multiple lives, and his involvement in major cases tied to international drug trafficking organizations — including El Chapo and the Flores brothers, Pedro and Margarito.

This is a rare look behind the curtain from someone who lived it.

Listen & Support Below:

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BTD Merch:

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In this episode of Beyond The Dispatch, we sit down with Chris Bingham, the handler and partner of retired explosive detection K9 Tambo.

Chris shares what it truly means to work alongside a K9 at the federal level — the trust, the pressure, and the bond that forms when your partner is responsible for keeping people alive. We talk about Tambo’s years of service in explosive detection, what life looks like after retirement, and the reality many working dogs face once the uniform comes off.

The conversation takes a hard turn as Chris opens up about Tambo’s cancer diagnosis and the emotional toll of watching a partner who gave everything now fight for his life. We also discuss the lack of long-term support for retired K9s, why organizations like Project K9 Hero are so critical, and what needs to change to better honor these silent professionals.

This episode is about loyalty, sacrifice, and the unseen cost of service — not just for the handler, but for the dog who never hesitated to step forward.

Listen & Support Below:BTD Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/2jRR6F60PV7sTWWNIsLVJF?si=tkmapUPKS4SIyvMA_pqI4gBTD YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@theBTDpodBTD Merch:https://www.beyondthedispatch.com

In this episode of Beyond The Dispatch, Dom’s mom, Connie, joins us for one of the most personal conversations we’ve ever had on the show.

We talk about Dom’s childhood, his decision to join the U.S. Coast Guard, and eventually law enforcement — and what it’s really like watching your child choose a career built around danger and service. Connie opens up about the constant worry, the silent fears, and the emotional toll that comes with being the parent of a first responder.

This conversation goes even deeper as we walk through Dom’s shooting in the line of duty and the impact it had not just on him, but on his entire family. Connie shares what that moment was like from a mother’s perspective, how it changed her, and what the recovery process looked like behind the scenes — the uncertainty, the strength, and the moments no one sees.

We also talk about Dom’s recovery, resilience, and how the family navigated life after everything changed.

This is a raw, honest, and emotional episode about family, fear, strength, and the bonds that hold us together when everything feels like it’s falling apart.

Still Here 🤙🏻

👉 Follow Beyond The Dispatch for real conversations with first responders, military members, and their families — the stories that don’t always get told.

Listen & Support Below:

BTD Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/show/2jRR6F60PV7sTWWNIsLVJF?si=tkmapUPKS4SIyvMA_pqI4g

BTD YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@theBTDpod

BTD Merch:
https://www.beyondthedispatch.com

In this episode of Beyond The Dispatch, we sit down with Linnea Lones, co-owner of Just Lift Fitness, a personal training studio in Clarendon Hills, Illinois, built around long-term health, performance, and sustainability.

Linnea breaks down what originally pulled her into the fitness world and how her work at Just Lift Fitness evolved beyond just workouts and aesthetics. We talk in depth about her experience training first responders, and why a healthy, sustainable lifting style is critical for overall health—especially for people living in high-stress environments.

This conversation goes deep into topics that don’t get talked about enough, including:

• The importance of nutrition beyond calories and macros

• Hormone balance and what “normal ranges” actually look like for men and women

• How the nervous system impacts training, recovery, stress, and burnout

Whether you’re a first responder, athlete, or someone simply trying to feel better in your own body, this episode offers practical insight into how training, hormones, and nervous system health all work together.

This isn’t about quick fixes—it’s about understanding your body and building something that lasts.

🎧 New episode out now on all platformsStill Here 🤙🏻

🔗 Learn more about Linnea and Just Lift Fitness:⁠https://www.justliftfitness.com⁠

🎧 Subscribe for weekly episodes that bring you inside the minds of America’s warriors — after the fight ends.BTD Website: ⁠https://www.BeyondtheDispatch.com⁠

Firefighter. Cop. Survivor.Dennis Pishock has carried the weight of two uniforms and the scars that come with them. From 18 years in the fire service to his current role in law enforcement, he knows the toll of PTSD, trauma, and suicide — and why peer support can save lives.In this raw conversation, Pishock shares lessons from his book Demons & Angels, the brotherhood of martial arts, and why resilience is just as critical as any skill on the street or fireground.👉 Subscribe for weekly episodes that bring you inside the minds of America’s warriors — after the fight ends.🌐 www.BeyondtheDispatch.com🎧 Listen on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/2jRR6F60PV7sTWWNIsLVJF#PTSD #PeerSupport #BeyondtheDispatch #FirstResponderStories #DennisPishockStill Here 🤙🏻