There’s the fire service everyone sees...the hero shots, the sunsets, the brotherhood.

And then there’s what happens at home.

In this episode, Erin sits down with Chelsi McFadden, a California-based photographer, writer, and advocate who’s been married to her CAL FIRE firefighter for nearly 18 years. Through her work with Fire Family Life, her former show Dear Chiefs Podcast, and now her new project Hold the Line at Home, Chelsi has become a leading voice for the silent side of service...The families holding it all together while their responders hold the line.

Chelsi and Erin dive into the real dynamics of first responder life. The “tricky transition” when a firefighter comes home, the resentment that creeps in when both partners are running on empty, and the myth that you can “leave work at work.” They talk about rebuilding after betrayal, navigating compassion fatigue, and what it really takes to stay connected in a lifestyle that tests love, patience, and identity every single day.

This isn’t a highlight reel. It’s the truth about what happens when the pager goes quiet and the real work begins, at home.

IN THIS EPISODE

• The real story behind Hold the Line at Home and why it had to exist
• The emotional cost of living on call for both responders and their families
• What “the tricky transition” looks like when your partner comes home from shift
• How Chelsi and her husband rebuilt after infidelity, PTSD, and disconnection
• Why understanding the job isn’t enough action has to follow awareness
• The power of grace, therapy, and communication that actually works
• How first responder families can stop waiting for normal and start living now

MENTAL FIREPOWER

Partnership isn’t about perfection. It’s about awareness, communication, and grace in the gray areas.

WHO THIS EPISODE IS FOR

• Fire families and first responder spouses craving honest connection
• Responders who don’t know how to “come home” after shift
• Couples navigating burnout, resentment, or emotional distance
• Anyone who’s ever felt like love means waiting

 Listen now: https://erinmaccabee.com/podcast

Follow Chelsi:
Instagram: @holdthelineathome
Podcast: Hold the Line at Home

Music from #Uppbeat

https://uppbeat.io/t/needmospace/chill-power

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