In 2017, Carol Erickson had a heart attack at her home in New Boston, New Hampshire. The firefighters who showed up that morning saved her life. One of them was Bill Mortimer -- and he's our guest today.

Bill is a Firefighter and AEMT at Hudson Fire Department in Hudson, NH. You may have seen him on NH Chronicle making smash burgers for his crew. But there's a story behind why Carol really wanted to get him on Beyond the Plate -- and in this episode, we get into all of it.

In this episode:

• Bill tells his side of Carol's 2017 heart attack call -- the STEMI reading, the IV in her foot, the moment he wouldn't let her say no

• What firehouse cooking actually looks like -- crockpots after brutal shifts, the alarm going off mid-stir fry, Deputy Chief O'Brien's smash burger plate trick

• Carol and Bill on women's heart attack symptoms -- why they present differently and why "know your normal" could save your life

• What readiness really means in the fire service -- and why a fire department with fewer fires doesn't need fewer firefighters

• The real story behind the NH Chronicle smash burger segment -- and why things taste better when they're made with love

Hudson Fire Department | Hudson, NH

hudsonnh.gov | Facebook: Hudson N.H. Fire Department | 603-886-6021

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All links: linktr.ee/BeyondtheplateNH

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This episode is sponsored by Red Arrow Diner.

4 NH locations: Manchester, Concord, Londonderry, and Nashua -- open 24/7.

redarrowdiner.com | Instagram: @redarrow24diner | Facebook: RedArrowDiner

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ABOUT BEYOND THE PLATE WITH CAROL

Carol Erickson, owner of Red Arrow Diner since 1987, sits down with the people behind New Hampshire's food and hospitality scene. It's not just about the food -- it's about the journeys, the community, and what drives people to go beyond.

Follow Beyond the Plate -- find us everywhere: linktr.ee/BeyondtheplateNH

Follow Carol: Instagram @carolsew24

0:00 - Intro

0:28 - Carol saw Bill on Chronicle

0:48 - First call response

1:28 - How 911 dispatch works

2:14 - A day in the firehouse

2:35 - AEMT explained

5:40 - Finding balance on shift

6:23 - 12 people per shift

9:13 - The firehouse bond

10:38 - How Bill became the station chef

11:18 - Coming home to a crockpot 🙌

12:21 - Katrina coffee story

14:38 - Root beer pulled pork blizzard story

16:07 - How Chronicle came together

16:59 - "Things taste better when made with love"

19:34 - Alarm goes off mid-cook 😂

20:56 - "We are firefighters, not cooks"

22:24 - Deputy Chief O'Brien's plate trick

26:39 - NH's only two 24/7 kitchens

28:27 - Mental wellness in the fire service

29:45 - Red Arrow Diner sponsorship

29:53 - AEMT vs EMT vs Paramedic

32:20 - Carol reveals she knows Bill

33:17 - The heart attack: that morning

34:08 - Bill takes over the story

36:44 - "I got that IV in your foot"

38:29 - "If Daryl hadn't overslept..."

39:01 - Carol thanks Bill

39:35 - Women's heart attack symptoms

41:17 - "Know your normal"

43:37 - Does the firehouse have a real fire pole? 😂

45:33 - Serving your community

46:05 - Car seat expiration dates

47:43 - Smoke & CO detectors

49:07 - Always call 911 -- never voicemail

55:43 - What people don't hear about first responders

57:39 - Fire prevention = risk reduction

58:43 - Manchester Taco Tour

1:00:28 - Best places to eat in Manchester

1:03:08 - Lightning round

1:05:15 - Most rewarding part of the job

1:06:08 - History of the fire pole 🐴

1:07:00 - Outro