Beyond the Dispatch

Founder and firefighter Dana Corriveau shares his journey from USAF Security Forces to launching Take Up Your Mantle Challenge Inc., a 501(c)(3) dedicated to raising funds for USAF Special Warfare veteran foundations and building more resilient families and communities. 🤙🏻Still Here Take Up Your Mantle: https://www.mantlechallenge.org/ 🌐 Website: www. BeyondtheDispatch.com 🎧 Spotify: ⁠⁠https:/...

Hear from Donna Jahn, a 30+ year 911 dispatcher in Romeoville, IL, who shares powerful stories from the other side of emergency calls. Learn how she gives back through Thanksgiving meals and a golf outing honoring her late husband that has raised $128,000 for wrestling scholarships. Contact Donna at 630-291-8998 to support or attend.

A powerful conversation with Gia Washington and Jennifer Wojcikowski of Sertoma Star Services about mental health, suicide prevention, and first responder family wellness. Learn about their upcoming  Responding First to Each Other  event on  June 12th  at the  Bremen Township Senior Complex  from  8:30 AM to 1:30 PM . June 12th event link: https://sertomastar.org/wellness-event/ Sertoma Star Servi...

In this powerful Episode 56 of Beyond the Dispatch, I sit down with Andrew Kolodziej, founder of Turtle Hustle and longtime law enforcement professional, to unpack his journey from undercover work to impactful training and mentorship. Andrew shares candid stories from his time as a Special Agent on an undercover narcotics task force and as a DEA Task Force Officer, explaining the realities of work...

On this episode of Beyond The Dispatch, I sit down with Mike Alvis—Army veteran and Illinois police officer—to talk about a life shaped by service both overseas and here at home. Mike shares his experiences deploying to the Middle East, Korea, Poland, and Ukraine, giving a raw look at what it’s like operating in different parts of the world under constantly changing conditions. We get into the rea...

In this episode, I sit down with Jessica Galvan, owner of First Response Therapy in New Lenox and wife of a firefighter, to talk about mental health in the first responder world and beyond. We dive into childhood trauma, relationships, self-love, and how EMDR therapy can help process difficult experiences. Jessica also shares practical tools for navigating emotional struggles and highlights key wa...

In this episode, we sit down with retired Chicago Fire Department Lieutenant Pat McCauley to explore a life dedicated to service, both on and off the fireground. Pat shares stories from his 30 plus year career in one of the busiest fire departments in the country, offering insight into the challenges, brotherhood, and defining moments that shaped him. We also dive into the McCarthy Brigade and wha...

Today’s short episode is a check‑in and a challenge: I update you on the show, talk about a sponsor opportunity, and dive into Epstein, civil unrest, and political corruption. Couldn’t do any of this without your support, comment or DM me after you listen. 🤙🏻Still Here 🌐 Website: www. BeyondtheDispatch.com 🎧 Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.c... 🎧 Subscribe for weekly episodes that bring you in...

He was a South Side Chicago kid battling addiction and losing control of his life. Today, he’s Father Ryan Brady, a chaplain serving alongside the Chicago Fire Department and guiding others through their own moments of crisis. In this episode, we talk about hitting rock bottom, rediscovering faith, and what it means to find purpose on the other side of surrender. It’s a story of struggle, redempti...

In this episode, we sit down with Gerald “Gerry” Vetters, a Navy veteran and retired Division Chief of Investigations from the Oak Lawn Police Department.  Gerry opens up about his journey from part-time cop to leading major investigations, sharing wild K-9 stories, a near-death experience, and intense attempted murder cases along the way. We also get into what’s really going on in law enforcement...

Sat down with Jason Yerkovich, author of Carrying the Fire , for a real conversation about mental health, resilience, and what it takes to keep going when life hits hard. We dive into his book, the struggles behind it, and the mindset needed to push through adversity when everything in you wants to quit. This is an honest look at what it means to carry your past, face it, and still move forward. I...

In this episode of Beyond The Dispatch, I sit down with Ken Tworek — retired police officer, Medal of Valor recipient, licensed social worker, and founder of Three Block Solutions. Ken opens up about his experience surviving a life-threatening ambush in the line of duty and how that moment transformed his purpose. We talk about resilience, trauma, leadership, and the work he’s doing to support fir...

In this episode, we sit down with acclaimed filmmaker Charlie Minn to discuss the 2008 Lane Bryant shooting in Tinley Park, Illinois, where five women were tragically murdered in a suburban retail store — a case that remains officially unsolved. Charlie shares the story behind his latest documentary, Who Killed These Women? The Tinley Park 5. We also talk about his career and several of his other...

There was a blood trail from the ambulance bay into the ER. Tony Smith is a former firefighter/paramedic who transitioned into flight medicine — and he was the critical care medic responsible for transporting Dom after his line-of-duty shooting. Before anyone confirmed it, Tony knew it was a cop. The police presence was overwhelming. Drones overhead. Helicopters in the air. When they landed at Bol...

He saw Bin Laden before 9/11. He pulled the trigger on the first Hellfire ever fired from a drone in combat. Colonel Scott Swanson spent 20 years in the U.S. Air Force — from flying Pave Hawks in Desert Storm to helping pioneer armed Predator drone operations in Afghanistan. In 2000, he watched Osama bin Laden walk out into the open. The strike never came. One year later, after 9/11, Scott and his...

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 th...

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 l...

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 tra...

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-lev...

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...

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 fear...

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...

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 wh...

Retired DEA Group Supervisor Pat Bagley spent 28 years inside the world of federal drug enforcement — a career that took him from New York during 9/11, to the streets of Chicago, and deep into international operations in Bangkok, Thailand. This episode walks through the reality of long-term federal service: the pressure, the responsibility, and the unseen toll that comes with operating at the high...

Before the VA ever failed him… before the mindfulness training… before the mental clarity that helped him survive that flight… Marine infantry combat veteran Matt Spaid suffered a total psychological collapse that nearly ended everything. After two deployments with the Corps, years of blast exposure, a traumatic brain injury no one recognized, and nonstop trauma in the fire service, Matt’s life fi...