Hundreds of heroic first responders battling the brush fires in Los Angeles County have loved ones who are awaiting their safe return.
Amid the disastrous fires, the spouses and children of first responders say they’re keeping their firefighting loved ones in mind as they support them from afar.
“I’m proud of him for doing what he loves and for doing it without question,” said Jenna Partlow.
Partlow’s husband, Bryan, is part of the El Segundo Fire Department and was deployed with a strike team to the Palisades Fire. His brave efforts in the firefight led to personal sacrifices, including missing his wedding anniversary and his son’s 8th birthday.
“I think in situations like this, it’s just the unknown of when will it end and when does he come home,” Partlow said. “And I think that’s something I can manage, but a 5 and an 8-year-old have a hard time with.”
She explained the couple’s young children often ask when they’ll be able to see their dad again. They often forget he’s in the middle of the firefight and ask if they can see him at his fire station.
“When I tuck them in at night, I’m like, ‘Let’s pray for the firefighters, let’s pray for the firemen.’ And for the first time, my 8-year-old was like, ‘Is dad alive?’ I’m like, ‘Well, yeah, he’s going to be safe. He’s going to be fine,’” Partlow said.
It’s experiences like Partlow’s that inspired Audra Carrion and Chelsi McFadden to begin their podcast for families of first responders. The DearChiefs podcast shares the experiences of relatives of first responders.
“We started the podcast mainly because we felt it was a huge component of the fire service that had been missing,” Carrion said. “Nobody talks about the family at home, nobody talks about what the spouse is going through.”
“We bring on mental health experts, advocates, fire wives, firefighters,” McFadden said.
The DearChiefs podcast said it’s collecting donations for coffee and meals to provide families with firefighters on the frontline. To learn more about the podcast, click here.
