On Drug Overdose Recovery and Intervention: Lindsay McDade
- Peyton Silvius
- 6 days ago
- 3 min read
How one Battalion Chief and JUMPSTART volunteer is making a difference in her community and showing up in this next generation of local leaders.
Meet Battalion Chief and JUMPSTART Volunteer Lindsay McDade! Alongside her therapy horse, Muffin, they are on a unique mission: to raise awareness around substance misuse and mental health. Instead of waiting for another overdose call, Lindsay, alongside SCDC, is stepping in earlier. They are meeting people where they are with prevention, education, and compassion.
// Creative Uses of a "Muffin"
When asked what her days look like, Lindsay explained that her role was created through opioid settlement funding, allowing her to lead proactive programs for the fire department.
“Instead of just responding to the call and treating the patient, I’ve had the opportunity to come up with some really creative stuff with Muffin here.”
In case you missed it, Muffin is a therapy horse. That “creative stuff” has taken the form of hands-on prevention efforts, school visits, and public education that use Muffin as a powerful, disarming presence to start tough conversations.
Muffin creates a unique opportunity to connect and open doors for Lindsay to share life-saving resources.
// Prevention Aimed at the Heart
For Lindsay, this is not just about data or numbers. It is about real lives. She has watched too many calls end with tragedy. Now, she is determined to break the cycle by addressing root causes and building connections before another emergency call ever comes in.
It is a shift from reaction to prevention, and it is fueled by hope and her faith that people can absolutely change. In her interview, she shares her testimony of how God has worked to transform her view on identity. Trials and pain are now the fuel behind her purpose, and knowing her identity is in Christ.
// Why Lindsay Volunteers with JUMPSTART
Lindsay’s commitment to serving people at their lowest moments deepened through her time volunteering with JUMPSTART SC at Camille Graham and Goodman Correctional Institutions. Walking through the prison gates, she joined other mentors in leading small groups, listening to stories of brokenness, and sharing encouragement rooted in faith.
What struck her most was not despair but determination. She saw men and women choosing to leave their past behind and embrace a future built on discipleship, accountability, and hope.
“Serving inside the prison reminded me that addiction and brokenness do not get the final word. God does.”
The same heart that leads her to fight overdoses in her city fuels her compassion for those behind bars. Both roles show her that real change happens when people are given tools, relationships, and the hope that there is a better way.
The same crisis Lindsay is fighting on the frontlines is the reality JUMPSTART sees every day inside and outside prison walls. Addiction often fuels incarceration, and without intentional support, many men and women will return to the same struggles after release.
Just like Lindsay’s efforts with Muffin open the door for prevention and healing, JUMPSTART builds bridges of hope so that when someone chooses a different path, the support is waiting. Every participant in our program receives more than a second chance. They find a community of believers walking with them toward restoration.
// A Call to Take Heart
While the uniform and badge are part of Lindsay’s story, her faith and heart for people drive her deeper. What began as a professional assignment has become a personal mission to see people restored, families healed, and communities freed from the weight of addiction.
Her message is simple, but powerful:
Change is possible.
God has called us.
He will equip us.
At JUMPSTART, we believe the same is true about everyone we serve and all those who serve with us. Because of God’s transforming power, lives once defined by brokenness can become testimonies of hope. Amen to the fact that Christ alone is sufficient!
Want to make an impact like Lindsay? 👉 Learn more about how you can use your gifts and heart for the sake of the Gospel through JUMPSTART SC: https://www.jumpstartvision.org/get-involved-south-carolina
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