S2/E10 Guest #17 (Voices of Valor: Joe Wilkes)

With 21 years in the fire service, Joe Wilkes has dedicated his life to serving others—starting as a volunteer firefighter and building into a full-time career. Along the way, he’s experienced both the rewarding moments and the ones that leave a lasting impact. Early in his career, a pediatric call changed everything—shaping how he understood the emotional toll first responders carry and the importance of addressing it. That experience led Joe to help start Pulaski County FRSST (First Responder Stress Support Team), an organization focused on helping first responders navigate stress, trauma, and the unseen side of the job. In this episode, we talk about the calls that stay with you, the mental weight of the fire service, and why supporting each other off the scene is just as critical as the work done on it. This one is real, raw, and an important conversation for anyone in the first responder community. 🎙️ *Voices of Valor — Turning Courage Into Conversation*