062 - Answering the Call: An Officer's Response to an Active Shooter

Former Chattanooga and Nashville Police Officer Steven Meador sits down with Brink and Adam to share what it's like to respond to two active shooter events during his law enforcement career, including the 2015 Chattanooga military recruiting center attack and the 2023 Covenant School shooting in Nashville.

Steven reflects on those days, brotherhood that forms in moments of danger, and the lasting impact of trauma that first responders carry long after the scenes clear. He speaks with honesty about what he saw, what he felt, and how therapy has helped him continue forward.

1:10 – Introducing Officer Steven Meador

4:00 – Early career

First Shooting of His Career

6:10 – First active shooter response in law enforcement

20:00 – Shots fired directly at Meador

22:45 – Training and teamwork—how officers came together under pressure

23:20 – The importance of standards and preparation in crisis

 The 2015 Chattanooga Military Attack

26:30 – Hearing the call come over the radio

30:00 – Protective gear limitations and risk

31:30 – Encountering the first victims on scene

32:45 – Searching for potential car bombs and additional shooters

35:15 – Realizing four Marines had been killed

35:25 – Confusion over the suspect's vest—possible explosives

37:15 – Processing the day alongside fellow officer Sean O'Brien

38:00 – Brotherhood amidst danger

The 2023 Covenant School Shooting

45:15 – Recognizing the call wasn't another false alarm

47:25 – Calling his wife and father before heading to the scene

53:00 – Reconciling cognitive dissonance of children's backpacks and books amidst violence

Aftermath and Advice

1:03:50 – Reflections as a father—walking past his daughter's room that night

1:06:53 – The unseen aftermath of response work

1:09:20 – Advice for those facing trauma

1:11:00 – Finding someone you trust—both a professional and a friend who's been through it too