Sirens, Slammers and Service - A podcast for Female First Responders

Send us Fan Mail This episode of Sirens, Slammers and Service is unlike anything we’ve done before. We sit down with Ryanne Stellingwerf —licensed psychotherapist, trauma-informed coach, founder of Discover Solutions and creator of Armor and Grace —for a conversation that cuts straight through the noise. ⚡ Before helping female first responders navigate trauma and burnout, Ryanne spent seven year...

Send us Fan Mail This episode of Sirens, Slammers and Service gets real with Vanessa Williams , whose 13-year career in corrections took her from frontline units at Fort Saskatchewan to the tactical team—and eventually into training the next generation. 🚨🔥 We talk about what people don’t see: the reality behind the walls, the culture, the chaos, the lessons learned from working both male and fem...

Send us Fan Mail She's back!! Returning all the way from SEASON 2 - Bridget Truxillo! This episode of Sirens, Slammers and Service is one every first responder needs to hear. We sit down again with Bridget Truxillo —attorney, former SWAT and Undercover Narcotics operator, and founder of Lady Law Shield —for a no-filter conversation on protecting your career, your mental health, and your futur...

Send us Fan Mail This episode of Sirens, Slammers and Service features Ricki Martin —known professionally as Ariana Martin—a 15-year member of the Edmonton Police Service who now works as a file manager in recruiting and selection. 🚔🔥 From squad room nicknames and tough academy days to frontline patrol and now helping shape the next generation of officers, Ricki gets brutally honest about what i...

Send us Fan Mail This episode of Sirens, Slammers and Service gets raw and real with Sarah Ruhland —better known online as The Tattooed EMT . 🚑🔥 Sarah opens up about the workplace trauma that pushed them from law enforcement into fire and EMS, and the hard truths first responders face behind the scenes: toxic culture, broken systems, and the lack of meaningful mental health support. This convers...

Send us Fan Mail This episode of Sirens, Slammers and Service goes straight into the intensity of critical care with Brittany Foy —a STARS Air Ambulance flight nurse and Pediatric ICU pro from the Stollery Children's Hospital . 🚁🔥 From emergency rooms in Northern Alberta to the PICU and now flying some of the sickest and most critical patients across the province, Brittany breaks down what...

Send us Fan Mail This episode of Sirens, Slammers and Service is long but it's so raw, unfiltered, and hits hard. We sit down with Chevelle Sokoluk , who opens up about her five years in provincial corrections—and the reality behind the walls that most people never hear about. 🚨 From day one, Chevelle was thrown into the deep end—minimal training, barely any shadow shifts, and a culture wher...

Send us Fan Mail This episode of Sirens, Slammers and Service goes global with Ramiya Abdulha —aka Ramy—who shares her journey from the frontlines of Victoria Police in Australia to building a purpose-driven life beyond the badge. 🌏🚨 After five years in policing, Ramy opens up about the heavy workloads, systemic frustrations, and the moment she knew it was time to walk away and choose something...

Send us Fan Mail This episode of Sirens, Slammers and Service brings something completely different—in the best way. Meet Anna Redmond , a civilian mom turned powerhouse in the security world, who went from venture capital and Harvard to building something first responders didn’t even know they needed… until now. 🚀 Anna shares her bold transition into security, driven by a sharp understanding of...

Send us Fan Mail This episode of Sirens, Slammers and Service features trailblazer Joanne Fraser , whose 26.5-year career with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police left a lasting impact far beyond the uniform. From her early days in French immersion training and postings in the 90s—when women were still adapting to policies like the full male uniform—Joanne takes us through a career that included hig...

Send us Fan Mail This episode of Sirens, Slammers and Service features Kandis Hiscock , a 20-year member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police who’s not only served on the frontlines—but helped reshape how policing responds to mental health. 🚨🧠 Kandis shares her transition into pioneering the Rural Police and Crisis Team (RPAC) , pairing officers with mental health therapists to better support co...

Send us Fan Mail This episode of Sirens, Slammers and Service features Brenda Tunke , whose career journey is anything but ordinary. From working security in Britain, to joining the Edmonton Police Service in 2008, transitioning into a peace officer role with MD Greenview, and now becoming the first female—and 8th member—of the Grande Prairie Police Service , Brenda is truly helping build a police...

Send us Fan Mail This episode of Sirens, Slammers and Service features a true trailblazer— Katie Gordon , the first-ever female firefighter with Prince George Fire Rescue . 🚒🔥 Katie shares the incredible journey that led her there—starting in law enforcement in 2000, spending seven years in corrections, and ultimately finding her calling in the fire service where she’s now built an 11-year caree...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Sirens, Slammers and Service , Ellen Connor —a trailblazer with 28 years in Correctional Services Canada —pulls back the curtain on the realities of Canadian corrections. From toxic culture and resistance to change, to navigating a male-dominated system where staff behavior sometimes rivals that of inmates, Ellen shares it all with raw honesty. We explore her pi...

Send us Fan Mail This episode of Sirens, Slammers and Service brings the heat with Jayne Hutchison , who walks us through her career transition into her current role as a Marshal with the Saskatchewan Marshals Service —one of the newest and fastest-evolving law enforcement agencies in Canada.  Jayne reflects on her path through the Saskatchewan Highway Patrol and Alberta Commercial Vehicle Enforce...

Send us Fan Mail We’re continuing Season 11 of Sirens, Slammers and Service with a powerhouse conversation you won’t forget. 💥 This episode features Dawn Taylor —trauma specialist, straight-shooter, and client proclaimed “ass kicker, hope giver.” Dawn shares a raw, deeply personal story of surviving a brain aneurysm and going on to achieve a lifelong dream: skiing. That moment sparks a real-time...

Send us Fan Mail  We’re coming out of the gate strong for Season 11 of Sirens, Slammers and Service with an incredible conversation featuring Nancy Farmer .  Nancy takes us through her long and impactful career with the Calgary Police Service —from what first motivated her to join policing, to rising through the ranks to an Inspector of the Support Section , and even achieving her tactical operato...

Send us Fan Mail  We’re closing out Season 10 of Sirens, Slammers and Service with a powerful conversation that hits right at the core of first responder life.  In this final episode, Nikki sits down with NYPD Detective Dina Campbell , who shares the deeply personal story behind launching her podcast Outside the Line —a platform born from an identity crisis following a crushing disappointment duri...

Send us Fan Mail In this candid and franky, HILARIOUS episode of Sirens, Slammers and Service , Nikki sits down with Lesley Prosko —a paramedic of over 18 years , author, and IV therapy clinician—for an honest conversation about the realities of life in EMS, on and off the truck. Lesley shares her path from athletic therapy to paramedicine , why maturity matters in this profession, and what the Ci...

Send us Fan Mail This episode of Sirens, Slammers and Service takes you behind the reins of one of policing’s most unique and powerful units. Nikki is joined by Robin Koltusky , Mounted Patrol Team Lead with the Calgary Police Service and AWIPS Civilian of the Year 2025 , for a deep dive into what it really takes to run a modern mounted unit.  Robin shares her unconventional path into policing—fro...

Send us Fan Mail  In this solo episode of Sirens, Slammers and Service , Nikki gets real—no filters, no fluff. Drawing from lived experience, she breaks down 15 hard truths every first responder needs to hear, especially early in their career.  We talk about why keeping your work life and personal life separate actually matters, the reality of “work friends” and situational relationships, and the...

Send us Fan Mail  In this episode of Sirens, Slammers and Service , Nikki sits down with Helen Dugdale —psychotherapist, science lover, and soon-to-be two-time author—to dig into the gut-brain connection, sleep, anxiety, and why your nervous system is calling the shots more than you think.  Helen breaks down how sleep deprivation wrecks emotional control , why first responders can’t rely on gut in...

Send us Fan Mail In this powerful episode of Sirens, Slammers and Service , Nikki sits down with Dr. Katherine Rolfe , a registered psychologist and former member of both the military and the Edmonton Police Service, to explore the deeply personal journey of serving—and the challenges of stepping away after more than 20 years in uniform. Dr. Rolfe shares the emotional landscape of leaving a first...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Sirens, Slammers and Service , Nikki sits down with Lori Bailey , an Inspector with the City of Calgary Transit’s Community Outreach Team, whose career journey is a powerful example of perseverance and reinvention. Lori shares her path from federal corrections , to teaching at Bow Valley College , to serving in her current role supporting Peace Officers and vuln...

Send us Fan Mail  In this episode of Sirens, Slammers and Service , Nikki sits down with Marci Gonder , Chief of Public Vehicle Standards with the City of Calgary, whose impressive and unconventional path through law enforcement and leadership is nothing short of inspiring. From her early days as a casual Sheriff to serving in Executive Protection for three Alberta Premiers , Marci shares the pivo...