"Life Behind the Radio" S3 E8 Jillian Hodges

Life Behind the Radio — Jillian Hodges on Public Safety, Mental Health & ResilienceDescription:In this episode of the Weight We Carry podcast, Bart Heaney interviews 911 dispatcher Jillian Hodges about her 15-year career in dispatch, the toughest calls she’s faced, the deep bond between dispatchers and responders, and how public safety work impacts mental and physical health. Jillian shares raw, personal stories — including learning of her father’s cardiac arrest at work — and offers honest insight on anxiety, migraines, coping strategies, peer support, and resilience.Timestamps:00:00 Intro | 00:38 Jillian’s background | 03:38 Why dispatching stuck with her | 05:36 A typical shift | 07:04 Toughest calls & kids | 08:31 Dispatcher-responder bond | 13:03 Discovering her dad’s cardiac arrest at work | 15:45 How trauma changed her | 18:17 Health impacts (migraines, insomnia, anxiety) | 19:03 Coping: family & routines | 23:51 Why public safety struggles to open up | 34:01 The power of sharing stories | 36:59 Support systems | 38:48 Resilience | 40:06 How to contact the podcastKeywords:911 dispatcher, dispatcher mental health, public safety, EMS, fire dispatch, PTSD, anxiety, migraines, peer support, resilience, Weight We Carry podcast, Bart Heaney, Jillian HodgesLike, comment, and subscribe for more public safety stories. Want to be a guest? Email [email protected]:#Dispatchers #911 #MentalHealth #PublicSafety #PeerSupport #Resilience