EMS Today

The Power in Caring: Words and Actions

Can words and the way you use them really affect how your message is received? The saying is, “it’s not about what you say, but how you say it,” so is it possible for words to shape your destiny, that of your team and of your programs?   

Join Ernie Rodriguez, Chief of Austin-Travis County EMS (Texas) as he opens up to hostess Brett Lyle, about his stories and experiences leading this large metropolitan system. He shares how his words have defined his experiences, the tools he uses to manage relationships with his 600+ internal team members, and how the intentional way he presents facts to external stakeholders has afforded he and his department unique opportunities.

He speaks about how to keep up with a progressive, technology-savvy, engaged population, a time he thought his words might have lost him his job, and how not knowing any better has allowed him to accomplish the seemingly impossible.

Ernie leaves you with a strong message about caring for your people and offers actionable advice for fellow Emergent Leaders.  

Welcome to Emergent Leadership where we connect with passionate leaders who just have to share their stories, perspectives, and most importantly, lessons learned.

The need is urgent, the events are critical, and the you of tomorrow is just an episode away!

Join the conversation: If you have a leadership topic, experience, or lesson learned you would like to share or hear more about, send an email to brettlylecoaching@gmail.com or use and follow #emergentleadership to join the conversation on LinkedIn. You can also connect to Brett directly through LinkedIn or follow her journey on YouTube.

Guitalele’s Happy Place by Stefan Kartenberg (c) copyright 2017 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. Ft: Kara Square (mindmapthat)

Flu Vaccine Options During COVID-19

While the flu vaccine won't protect you from COVID-19, Katherine West explains why getting the vaccine is important.

Finding your Voice: The Art and Science

Ever wonder how people gain thousands of connections on LinkedIn or what purpose followers might serve, anyway?

Tim Nowak has 14,500 followers. Join this LinkedIn expert and industry conversationalist as he opens up to hostess Brett Lyle about his personal stories and experiences with how the platform has helped him find his voice and how he has perfected the art of using it.

He speaks about the powers of curiosity and targeted networking, discusses challenges that come with developing your personal brand and explores the journey and power in online relationship building.

Tim makes a personal offer to you and leaves motivating words of advice for fellow Emergent Leaders.   

Welcome to Emergent Leadership where we connect with passionate leaders who just have to share their stories, perspectives, and most importantly, lessons learned.

The need is urgent, the events are critical, and the you of tomorrow is just an episode away!

Join the conversation: If you have a leadership topic, experience, or lesson learned you would like to share or hear more about, send an email to brettlylecoaching@gmail.com or use and follow #emergentleadership to join the conversation on LinkedIn. You can also connect to Brett directly through LinkedIn or follow her journey on YouTube.

Guitalele’s Happy Place by Stefan Kartenberg (c) copyright 2017 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. Ft: Kara Square (mindmapthat)

FDNY EMS Inequity Must be Corrected!

This must watch EMS TODAY Show episode zeroes in on not just the tremendous work by FDNY and other New York City 911-contracted EMS responders, but also on the horrible pay and benefit inequity between FDNY EMS personnel and their counterparts in FDNY and the NYPD.

JEMS Editor Emeritus A.J. Heightman talks with Anthony Almojera, a 13-year veteran lieutenant paramedic with FDNY EMS and the vice president of Local 3621, the FDNY EMS Officers' union representing lieutenants and captains. He’s currently assigned to Station 40 in Sunset Park, Brooklyn.

The Latest on COVID-19 and What We Need to Know and Plan For

On this episode of The EMS TODAY Show, A.J. Heightman talks with Dr. James Augustine about what we are learning on a daily basis about COVID-19. They also discuss the impact it is having on EMS and emergency departments nationwide, particularly how it is decreasing EMS call volume and ED visits. They also talk about what we should plan for, and who we should be working with in the coming months - particularly when we move through flu season.

A Conversation with Abby Dotson

In the inaugural podcast of Sacred Cows & Data Cubes, host Jonathon Feit has a conversation with Abby Dotson, PhD, the director of the Oregon POLST Registry and research assistant professor of emergency medicine at Oregon Health & Science University.

Medics Speak from the Front Lines at the Pandemic’s Ground Zero

Seasoned Haz-Tech Paramedics Joe Hudak and Randy Li speak up close and personal with JEMS Editor Emeritus A.J. Heightman about their experiences during the peak periods of the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City Ground Zero again for a historic American tragedy.

Hudak, a 32-year street medic who responded to the World Trade Center and the crash of an American Airlines plane in Queens in 2001, is featured in the May issue of People magazine because he has the amazing perspective of a paramedic involved in three tragic “one-in-a-lifetime” incidents.

He though he saw it all in his 32 years on the street. He was wrong and is now having to fight and guard against an invisible killer.

Randy Li is a nine-year veteran medic and supervisor who responds to dozens of “jobs” each shift. He has witnessed the best and worst during the pandemic. He’s seen multiple DOAs found in their homes, patients who succumb to other medical issues weeks experienced after their “recovery” from COVID-19 and the recognition and respect EMS and other healthcare workers are receiving daily.

Hudak and Li have been members of a highly trained EMS Competition team that has participated in the JEMS Games for years and explain why COVID-19 is a challenge like no other for EMS personnel. 

The New Normal in EMS

The COVID-19 pandemic “wave” is over the top of us and having a major impact on EMS. But that wave will be followed by many other waves well after the pandemic.

Join JEMS Editor Emeritus A.J. Heightman for an in-depth discussion with financial and legislative expert Asbel Montes on the present and future state of EMS. Other topics discussed include:

1. How telehealth has/will change the EMS landscape.
2. Internal financial mitigation solutions during the pandemic.
3. Federal and state solutions to help EMS bridge the financial delta.

Prone Positioning of Patients Found to be Beneficial to COVID-19 Patient Care

Prehospital systems often implement procedures, practices and equipment that change medicine and encourage hospitals to adopt and continue them throughout the patient care treatment cycle.

 In this treatment-impact episode of The EMS Today Show, JEMS Editor Emeritus A.J. Heightman moderates an outstanding panel of experts who point out that “prone positioning” of patients is now shown to be one of those procedures.  Proning is easy to do, requires no special equipment and can dramatically improve a patient’s oxygen saturation levels.

David A. Farcy MD, FAAEM, FACEP, FCCM, president of the American Academy of Emergency Medicine and chairman, Department of Emergency Medicine and Director, Emergency Medicine Critical Care at Mount Sinai Medical Center and Hildebrandt Emergency Center in Miami Beach, Florida. Dr. Farcy explains patient proning, its history in the treatment of ARDS and the finding that it is extremely effective in the care of patients suffering from COVID-19 infection.

 He stresses that proning has been found to take awake, alert patients presenting as “Happy Hypoxic”. This is defined as being awake but presenting with low pulse oximetry levels that, would cause providers to intubate the patient in the past. With nasal or face mask oxygen, their O2 saturation levels were raised up from 88 to 94 (for example), keeping them from being intubated and, in some cases, being placed on ventilators.

Steve Wirth’s EMS Perspectives, Changes & Benefit During the Pandemic

With so many changes and challenges occurring in EMS during the COVID-19 pandemic, JEMS Editor Emeritus A.J. Heightman held a special episode of the EMS TODAY Show with EMS legal expert Steve Wirth, Esq., EMT-P, from the EMS legal firm Page, Wolfberg and Wirth (PWW).

During this special episode, A.J. and Steve discuss:

-- CARES Act funding for EMS services and the terms and conditions of acceptance;

-- HIPAA issues under the Pandemic and the requirement for hospitals to inform EMS agencies if a patient they transported to their facilities tested positive for COVID-19;

-- Documentation issues; and

-- Loosened requirements for EMS to obtain patient signatures.