EMS Today

Telecommunication Week 2021

In honor of Telecommunication Week, the EMS Handoff has a special recording highlighting some telecommunication professionals as they discuss telecommunication, the job profile, challenges, and even, the “perfect” system. 

Randy Beeman is the current National Emergency Number Association (NENA) chapter president. He is a 30-year retired medic with 40+ years in local government but currently serves as the director of Durham Emergency Communications Center. Randy holds a B.A. in business administration. 

Ollie Wall is a communications shift supervisor at Durham Emergency Communications Center in Durham, NC, and has worked for the department for 20 years. Her career began as a telecommunicator and served as a mentor before stepping into her full-time supervisor role.

Five Legal Issues with Doug Wolfberg

How fast should you operate an ambulance? How strong is a signature in a patient care refusal situation? Doug Wolfberg joins us to discuss this and more on this week’s episode about Doug’s top five EMS issues.

Doug Wolfberg, a founding member of Page, Wolfberg & Wirth, has been a practicing EMS attorney for 25 years. Doug is a nationally respected EMS leader who has been involved in the profession for over 40 years, having served as an EMS practitioner, a county EMS director and an EMS administrator at the regional, state and federal levels over the course of his career.

Body-Worn Cameras in EMS

Hosts Scot Phelps with Maria Werner talk about why body cameras are a must in EMS for everyone’s sake.

Red Pill or Blue Pill with Jason Patton

Guest: Jason Patton, Fire Department Chronicles

Jason Patton is a 13-year career firefighter/paramedic and creator of the popular video series Fire Department Chronicles, which amassed 1.8 million followers and over 150 million views.

Jason is also the vice president of Fire Department Coffee, a board member and spokesperson for the Heroes Cup which works with NHL teams, such as the Boston Bruins, to raise money for first responders in need. Jason also represents Banyan Treatment Centers as an advocate for first responders seeking help for mental health or substance abuse issues.

Pete Kruse

How did the "don't ask, don't tell, don't pursue and don't harass policy" (DADT policy) affect the mental stress of a military soldier? How far have we come for an inclusive culture to promote mental wellness of our first responders? Hear the story of Pete Kruse and his experiences serving in the military and as an EMS specialist.

Advocacy in EMS with NAEMT

Guests: Susan Bailey, Chris Way, and Troy Tuke

NAEMT President-Elect Susan Bailey is the director of the Louisiana Bureau of Emergency Medical Services, and has been active in the EMS Industry since 1990. She has experience in both the rural and urban setting. She is the chair of the Commission on Accreditation of Prehospital Continuing Education (CAPCE) Board of Directors and serves as a curriculum and site reviewer, and is a member of the National Association of State EMS Officials (NASEMSO).

NAEMT Treasurer Christopher Way has been an emergency service professional for 28 years. Chief Way transitioned to Kootenai County Fire and Rescue as the fire chief in May of 2020 after serving as the chief officer for the Kootenai County EMS System for the previous seven years.

NAEMT Secretary Chief Troy Tuke began his EMS career after obtaining his paramedic and RN degrees from Brigham Young University-Idaho in 1989. He worked full time as an RN and paramedic specializing in critical care/trauma and flight nursing, before joining the Clark County Fire Department as a firefighter/paramedic in 1996. He was promoted through the ranks of fire engineer, EMS coordinator and assistant chief of EMS until his retirement from CCFD on October 4, 2019. Troy now works with the MountainView Hospital Paramedic Institute as the lead instructor.

The Introductory Episode of the EMS P.O.D.

Get to know Douglas Randell, what his favorite hobby is, what the EMS P.O.D. is, and learn about the type of podcast topics and people he will have on his show.

'Nightwatch' Returns to New Orleans

A&E Network’s hit non-fiction series “Nightwatch” returns for a new season following the skilled first responders on the front lines of one of America’s most dynamic agencies—New Orleans EMS.

 

Each one-hour episode of “Nightwatch” chronicles the sacrifice and heroic work of the first responders in New Orleans, a city filled with rich culture and a vibrant community – and an amazing array of EMS calls.

 

On this special addition of the EMS Today Show, host A.J. Heightman is joined by New Orleans EMS Chief Bill Salmeron and two Nightwatch “cast” members, Paramedic Supervisor Keeley Williams, Paramedic Shaquille Harris and NOEMS Public Information Officer Lt. Jonathan C. Fourcade.

 

A one-hour special leading up to the premier, hosted by Holly Sherman and Titus Tero, looked back at some of the past seasons’ memorable moments as well as introduced the new team members featured on the series this season. 

Social Media in Fire and Emergency Services

Guest: Curtis Varone

Does being an emergency service worker impact your freedom of speech online on social media? Are there pictures you can take on scene? What should you do with pictures you need to delete? You may be surprised to learn what could happen if you delete an image prematurely. 

Chief Curt Varone, a retired fire chief and current practicing attorney, explores social media and its legal impact for those in fire and emergency services. This podcast has valuable information for those entering our service and critical for those currently practicing.

Varone has over 40 years of experience in the fire service, retiring in 2008 as a deputy assistant chief with the Providence (RI) Fire Department. He is a practicing attorney licensed in both Rhode Island and Maine. Varone has written two books on legal issues in the fire service, is a contributing editor for Firehouse and runs Fire Law Blog. He remains active as a deputy chief with the Exeter (RI) Fire Department.

The Thing About Texas, Part 1

In the latest episode of Sacred Cows & Data Cubes -- Part one of a two-part mid-pandemic deep dive -- Jonathon Feit talks with Joseph Casciotti, battalion chief of Community Medicine at the Harris County (TX) Emergency Service District 48 Fire Department.

Chief Casciotti oversees Community Paramedicine/Mobile Integrated Health, infectious disease prevention and control, and COVID-19 response (both exposure tracking and vaccinations).  No holds were barred in this frank discussion, which covers politics, misinformation, the now-very-clear consequences of raiding public health funding for years, and even the ease of documenting -- on white paper cards -- COVID-19 shots that one may or may not have actually taken.

(Coming soon: Part two will explore the experience of sharing data with a state immunization registry...only to find errors in one's own vaccine record.)