Our Journey: Marriage, Firefighting and Community

09/05/24 • 18 min

Building a Community for First Responder Partners
In the inaugural episode of 'Just a Girl and Her Firefighter,' host Kristi Hilmer introduces herself and shares her journey as the partner of a first responder. Kristi recounts their early years, the challenges they faced, including a devastating fire in their town, and the life lessons they learned. She emphasizes the importance of teamwork within a marriage, especially in first responder families, and her passion for creating a supportive community. Kristi invites listeners to join her in sharing stories, tackling challenges, and building a tight-knit, supportive network for partners of first responders.
00:00 Welcome to Just a Girl and Her Firefighter
00:59 Meet Your Host: Kristi Hilmer
01:35 A Love Story: From High School to Marriage
03:16 Navigating Early Marriage and Careers
05:51 Facing Unexpected Challenges
06:49 The Devastating Wildfire Experience
07:39 Lessons Learned and New Beginnings
13:46 Building a Community for First Responder Families
15:15 Creating a Supportive Network
17:33 Conclusion and Community Invitation

Join our Community- The FireWife Community on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/groups/firstresponderwife/
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https://www.instagram.com/our.firstresponder.life/
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Fire Wife Wisdom: Joelle's Story of Resilience

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Navigating First Responder Life: An Interview with Firewife Joelle

In this episode of 'Just a Girl and Her Firefighter,' host Kristi Hilmer chats with Joelle, a fellow Firewife from Marblehead, Massachusetts. Joelle shares her experience of raising children while married to a firefighter, the struggles and joys of their unique family dynamics, and the importance of communication and support. They discuss topics such as the challenges of coordinating schedules, finding time for personal growth, and the emotional aspects of first responder life. Joelle also shares practical advice on finding community support, balancing independence with teamwork, and the significance of being true to oneself.

00:00 Welcome to Just a Girl and Her Firefighter

00:59 Meet Joelle: A Firewife's Journey

02:10 Balancing Daycare and Firefighter Life

03:13 The Challenges of Firefighter Schedules

05:09 How Joelle Met Her Firefighter Husband

07:14 Choosing the Fire Service Path

08:40 Reflecting on 9/11 and Its Impact

13:15 The Emotional Toll of Being a Firewife

16:10 The Importance of Communication in Marriage

19:04 Learning to Communicate in Relationships

20:16 Challenges of Parenting and Communication

20:48 Emotional Support for First Responders