The Hero Who Saved Lives For 30 Years: 'I'm Not Okay' | John Yirku

What this episode is about

John Yirku, a dedicated first responder for 30 years, discusses the often-overlooked mental health struggles that follow traumatic incidents faced in the line of duty. He emphasizes the importance of vulnerability and communication among first responders, advocating for a cultural shift towards openness and support to combat the emotional toll of their experiences.

Key takeaways

• First responders battle unseen mental scars, far more complex than the heroics on camera.
• Bottling up trauma is like drinking poison—eventually, it catches up to you, often in unexpected moments.
• Families play a crucial role; recognizing their support can be the lifeline first responders desperately need.
• The 'Code Yellow'—a simple text—can be the bridge to healing in a culture that often shies away from vulnerability.
• Facing mental health isn’t a solo mission; it’s a collective effort requiring open communication among peers.

Who speaks in this episode?

• John Yirku (Guest) · 12 min speaking
• Unknown Host (Host) · 3 min speaking

What is discussed, and when

1. 0:00 – 3:00: First Responders, mental health, When the Siren Stops, Family
2. 3:00 – 6:00: First Responders, communication, Damon John, mental health
3. 6:00 – 9:00: communication, Trauma
4. 9:00 – 12:00: First Responders, Damon John, mental health, Family
5. 12:00 – 14:38: First Responders, When the Siren Stops, when the siren stops.com, Amazon

Notable quotes from "The Hero Who Saved Lives For 30 Years: 'I'm Not Okay' | John Yirku"

• Important to them and to reach out is the main goal. You have to sit there and as a first responder and say, Hey, I'm not alone.

  about First Responders · at 0:52

• Sudden I stepped back and my grandson was looking at me like what's wrong that's when I realized that hey it doesn't only affect us it affects our families and that's when I…

  about Family · at 3:42

• Mental health professionals that can give you guidance in what to do, but main goal is to communicate and to reach out.

  about communication · at 5:08

• No.,, I'm, currently, serving, I serve I currently serve on two volunteer fire departments. I ser So,, and, I, understand, you, know, your mission as a first responder. You mentioned it earlier, but when you think.

  about Damon John · at 10:19

• It's, available, on, Amazon., and, it's also I do have an audio book on Audible that's also available. And I do have my website when the siren stops.com. they can reach me there and look for my book there as well.

  about when the siren stops.com · at 12:40

Who and what is mentioned in this episode?

People

• Damon John — Person · Main guest · 3 mentions · first at 5:26
  John shares lived experience as a multi-role first responder and author, focusing on post-incident mental health, family impact, and practical tools (code yellow, four-pillar system) for reaching out.

Books & papers

• When the Siren Stops — Book · Primary referenced work / solution artifact · 2 mentions · first at 1:42
  John’s book is presented as the vehicle for his message and framework (four-pillar system) to help first responders and others recognize issues, reach out, and respond.
  Different things. And I really appreciate that you are now helping people. And I know you have your new book out as well, When the Siren Stops.

Companies & orgs

• Amazon — Company · Distribution platform · 1 mention · first at 12:40
  Amazon is cited as a place where the audience can purchase the book, indicating mainstream availability and a direct recommendation.
  It's, available, on, Amazon., and, it's also I do have an audio book on Audible that's also available. And I do have my website when the siren stops.com. they can reach me there and.
• Audible — Company · Audiobook distribution platform · 1 mention · first at 12:44
  Audible is mentioned as the channel for the audiobook version, expanding access to the content for listeners.
  It's, available, on, Amazon., and, it's also I do have an audio book on Audible that's also available. And I do have my website when the siren stops.com. they can reach me there and look for my book there as well.

Products & tech

• when the siren stops.com — Product · Call-to-action / distribution channel · 1 mention · first at 12:47
  The website is promoted as a place to reach John and find the book, functioning as a hub for his message and resources.

Concepts & topics

• First Responders — Concept · Core topic / identity frame · 10 mentions · first at 0:00
  The episode centers on what first responders experience beyond the public-facing hero narrative, especially the hidden aftermath and the need for support systems.
• communication — Concept · Core topic / mechanism for change · 5 mentions · first at 5:14
  Communication is repeatedly framed as the practical lever for healing—between spouses, peers, and professionals—enabling vulnerability, connection, and support.
• mental health — Concept · Core topic · 4 mentions · first at 0:24
  Mental health is discussed as the primary struggle after incidents—bottling emotions, stacking experiences, and stigma preventing help-seeking—along with the need for professional guidance.
  Reach out. We need to communicate. And to do that by reaching out to others that are in the same field or even to mental health professionals that can give you guidance in what to do, but main goal is to communicate and to reach out.
• Family — Concept · Core topic / motivation for openness · 3 mentions · first at 0:49
  Family is positioned as both impacted by first responder trauma and as a key support system; John’s turning point comes from noticing effects on his grandson and spouse.
• Trauma — Concept · Core topic (cause of struggles) · 3 mentions · first at 3:28
  Trauma is discussed as both cumulative (stacking experiences) and re-triggering (dissociation while with grandson), affecting responders and their families and making writing/reliving events difficult.
  Don't know if I would ever want to do it again. It's not an easy thing. People don't realize reliving everything can be very traumatic in itself. But why did you feel that…
• four-pillar system — Concept · Framework / method in the book · 1 mention · first at 5:26
  John’s four-pillar system is presented as the structured approach for self-awareness and recovery actions (recognize, reach out, respond, plus an implied fourth pillar not fully enumerated).
  Needs to do in order to better themselves, what would those be? That's part of my book is I developed a four-pillar system. But first thing you have to recognize what the…
• code yellow — Concept · Practical tool / signal for help · 1 mention · first at 4:49
  Code yellow is John’s simple, low-friction method for initiating support—texting someone to indicate distress and open a channel for connection without stigma.
  There's a what we call as I call as a code yellow. is where you just text somebody and say, Hey, I'm not okay but hey, that's okay. We can connect and we can discuss it.

Full transcript with timestamps

0:00 So if somebody asked you, John, what is it like to be a first responder? What would you say to them?

0:05 The, public, doesn't, realize, that, what, we face or what we see are totally different from what the public sees as first responders. They see us as going into the fire or helping people in a crisis as a police officer, but they don't see what happens afterwards.

0:21 And, so, what, would, you, say, happens afterwards? Yeah, a lot of the mental health struggles is actually um bottling stuff up and stacking and stacking the responses that they see and hear, but not releasing it. They're holding it inside. They don't want to release it.

0:40 So,, what, do, you, think, will, make, people move to being more open, being more vulnerable about these things, being able to talk about them publicly? They have to realize that family is important to them and to reach out is the main goal. You have to sit there and as a first responder and say, "Hey, I'm not alone." So, John, I'm very excited to have you on today uh because I've always had a place in my heart for first responders. My grandfather was a retired New York police officer. He had been in for many decades. Uh he was also in the military before that. And so I can imagine the stuff that you had to go through seeing as you were not only police officer EMT, firefighter. You were many different things. And I really appreciate that you are now helping people. And I know you have your new book out as well, When the Siren Stops.

1:45 But John, I think people don't really understand what it's like to be a first responder. So if somebody asks you John, what is it like to be a first responder? What would you say to them?

1:58 I, think, a, first, responder, is, one, who likes to serve. But what people don't realize is there's a lot of things that go on behind the scenes that the public doesn't realize that what we face and what we see are totally different from what the public sees as first responders. They see us as going into the fire or helping uh people in a crisis as a police officer, but they don't see what happens afterwards.

2:24 And, so, what, would, you, say, happens afterwards? Like what is this mental health struggle that I imagine many of them go through? Yeah, a lot of the mental health struggles is actually um bottling stuff up and stacking and stacking the responses that they see and hear, but not releasing it. They're holding it inside. They don't want to release it. They think, "Oh, I don't want to burden somebody or I don't want to put that on someone else." They keep bottling up and they don't want to talk about it. That's the thing. They don't want to talk about it. And that's one of the main uh goals of my book is you have to recognize it and then you need to reach out.

3:05 So, what, was, that, moment, for, you personally when you said okay I need to do this because if not it's going to be really bad for me long term.

3:15 Yeah., It's, the, day, I, recognized, that, I had an issue was I was uh playing uh on the floor with my grandson and we were just having uh fun time. and we were playing with tractors and stuff on the floor, and, stuff, and, then, all, of a, sudden I wasn't there. I was off somewhere uh we live in an an accident that uh my wife and I on was a very tragic accident and, I, was, looking, at, and, then, all, of a sudden I stepped back and my grandson was looking at me like what's wrong that's when I realized that hey it doesn't only affect us it affects our families and that's when I realized that uh it sticks with us and I needed to get that message out that it's just not just me it's everybody needs to uh reach out and look for that uh connection.

4:04 So,, what, do, you, think, will, make, people move to being more open, being more vulnerable about these things, being able to talk about them publicly?

4:13 What, they, need, to, do, is they have to realize that family is important to them. And when they realize that family wants to help and you have to help with with that, people want to help but they don't know how to help. And to reach out is the main goal. You have to sit there and as a first responder and say, "Hey, I'm not alone. There's other people just like me. I need to find out how I can connect to somebody. How do I reach that person? How do we connect with each other?" There's a what we call as I call as a code yellow. Um is where you just text somebody and say, "Hey, I'm not okay but hey, that's okay. We can connect and we can discuss it.

4:58 We don't need to stack it. We need to reach out. We need to communicate. And to do that by reaching out to others that are in the same field or even to mental health professionals that uh can give you guidance in what to do, but main goal is to communicate and to reach out.

5:16 If, you, could, say, that, there's, three steps that every single first responder needs to do in order to better themselves, what would those be? That's part of my book is I developed a a four-pillar system. But first thing you have to recognize recognize what the situation is and why you're doing it. Do I have sleepless nights? Am I irritable? Do I snap at my wife? Those things that you have to recognize that what's causing that? You have to recognize that. When you uh recognize that, then you have to uh reach out. You reach out.

5:50 How do I reach out? talk to your wife talk to your spouse, talk to a friend talk to uh communication or your pastor or something, but you have to communicate. And then you have to respond. And how do you respond? You respond by letting people in, letting your emotions show you're not alone. You can do this by also um connecting with others by just being there for them. I had a friend of mine who was we talked about this accident that my wife and I are involved in. But he uh it was an accident in my book where I talked about where there was 11 people died in one accident. And with that accident, one of the other the driver that was involved in the accident was a fellow firefighter of mine. He was there and he comes up to me and says "Hey, what can I do to help?" I said "No, no, no. We got this. You have to stay awake." But after all that, we connected and I went over and I just went to him and I just sat there and

6:58 say, "Hey, I'm here." That's all I did. He didn't he didn't communicate. He didn't say anything. I was just there. Just the presence of me being there. Just to reach out to know that somebody you're not alone. That's the main thing.

7:12 So,, I, know, you, and, your, wife, were firefighters and EMTs and I think most people will probably never understand what that's like to share the badge with their spouse uh but also share in the traumas that you both have faced. What has this partnership taught you about healing and about love? Boy, that's that's something that I really enjoy talking about is being able to communicate with my spouse. She has her views. I have my views, but yet we can talk about that. We can bounce that off of each other. How did you feel? How did you feel about that? How did you affect you? How did it affect me? I'm irritable. I can tell her, "Hey, I'm not okay today." you know and she can say okay that's fine but being the understanding that we have that communication is awesome we know how to communicate and that's one of the partnerships that I enjoy our love has gone deeper we understand each other and

8:19 we can give each other space but yet that bond is so close uh being in that same field and understanding each other and how we uh uh work together as Oh isn't it amazing how something as simple as communication can solve the world problems, but we are really bad at communicating, right? Like I think I I've been through that too where I wasn't really great communicator and it was, you know, a destroyer of many relationships and I have really had to learn it's so simple yet it is so hard. What are what are some moments that you had where you look back and that they they make you smile and and maybe maybe you met somebody who you saved many years later or maybe just a moment where you made such an enormous difference which I'm sure there's many.

9:06 Yeah., I, think, one, of, the, main, moments was a co-orker of mine working in the EMS field. Uh he was also working on the service that I did. Um I actually had to respond to him. um and actually did CPR on him and actually he came back and we brought him back and to actually have him come to me and say, "Hey, thank you." You know, being that we're in the same same field, we do the same work. We did the same work. But to have him come back and just say, "Hey, I was to knowing that I was there for him and him to come back and just say a thank you."

9:44 I mean, that's that's so rewarding. not only to help save a coworker, but just to have uh to save a life uh in that awesome moment. It was just amazing.

9:56 Wow., I, can, I, can, only, imagine, that feeling is something that would stick with you forever. Talk about legacy right? We always think like what can we leave to this planet, but if we can help somebody in that moment, I mean that's legacy enough. When you when you think about legacy and mission now that I'm sorry, are you retired?

10:19 Uh,, no., Um,, I'm, currently, serving, I serve I currently serve on two uh volunteer fire departments. I ser

10:25 So,, and, I, understand, you, know, your mission as a first responder. You mentioned it earlier, but when you think about outside of the work now you have this book and I know writing a book I have a book myself and writing a book was like two and a half years. Uh, and I don't know if I would ever want to do it again. It's not an easy thing. People don't realize reliving everything can be very traumatic in itself. But why did you feel that right now in your life in 2025, this was such a critical time for this book? because we see and hear all the noise out there of first responders doing the good work and doing what they do. But we need the support and uh the guidance from others, family professionals, and a program, something that tells us we're not alone.

11:25 We need to reach out. We need to rebuild. We're not alone. It's okay to tell someone, "Hey, I'm not okay." It's okay to tell somebody, "I'm not okay." But also that um hey, I need help. It's We bury the stigma of hey I'm tough. I can handle it. We need to get the message out there that, hey, it's okay to say I'm not okay. I need help. People are afraid to reach out for help because hey, we're tough first responders. We can't do that. It'll make us look weak. No, you're not weak. You're human. And that's what we need to that message we need to get out there.

12:06 So,, the, fact, that, you're, still, working, I mean, even though you've been through all these things and you've been a first responder for many, many decades, you've worked in so many different fields, yet you still have time to give back. And I think that just makes it it shows how great of a human you are. are and I'm I'm honored to have this conversation with you today. But if people I'm sure everyone needs to read this book. It doesn't matter if they are a first responder or are not. Everyone has a situation where they need to probably reach out to somebody and they can learn a lot from this. But if you want to get in the book, how can they do so?

12:40 Um, it's, available, on, Amazon., Uh, and, it's also I do have an audio book on Audible that's also available. And I do have my website uh when the siren stops.com. Uh they can reach reach me there and uh look for my book there as well.

12:57 Well,, Johnu,, when, the, siren, stops., So, go to when the siren stops.com. I love the title and I love the URL and just what you're doing. I'm just truly honored that you I got to have this conversation and I hope millions of people around the world will be impacted by not only your story but also uh your pillars and everything you're doing to help. So thank you so much for joining us on Founders Story

13:22 and, thank, you., I, appreciate, the opportunity to uh share my message.

Questions about this episode

Who speaks in "The Hero Who Saved Lives For 30 Years: 'I'm Not Okay' | John Yirku"?

John Yirku (Guest), Unknown Host (Host).

What is "The Hero Who Saved Lives For 30 Years: 'I'm Not Okay' | John Yirku" about?

John Yirku, a dedicated first responder for 30 years, discusses the often-overlooked mental health struggles that follow traumatic incidents faced in the line of duty. He emphasizes the importance of vulnerability and communication among first responders, advocating for a cultural shift towards openness and support to combat the emotional toll of their experiences.

What is mentioned in this Founder's Story episode?

12 people, works and ideas are mentioned, including First Responders, Damon John, communication, mental health, When the Siren Stops, Family. Each one on this page links to its own page with every episode that mentions it.

How long is "The Hero Who Saved Lives For 30 Years: 'I'm Not Okay' | John Yirku"?

The episode runs 15 min; the transcript is about 2,346 words in 27 timestamped sections.

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