Open Airways: Stories from the back of the ambulance
Active vs. Passive Assumptions
Chris LeBaudour
“When you make an active assumption it requires work, it requires action. Human nature is generally a passive approach… Eventually, passive assumptions slip in… It’s a very dangerous period in an EMS person’s career. It’s a very dangerous period.”
Click to listen as Chris LeBaudour explains why some assumptions are better than others.
Chris LeBaudour is an EMS instructor and a prolific writer with several major EMS publications on the market. He is a faculty member in the Department of Public Safety, EMS Division at Santa Rosa Junior College in California, and he is also the Director of Communications for REACH Air Medical Services, an air ambulance provider in the northwest.
Open Airways is a project to capture an oral history for the benefit of the EMS Community. EMS responders share some of the most meaningful cases of their careers, sometimes with humor and always with compassion. We hope that they will help us improve your practice and inspire a new generation of caregivers.
This series is produced by FISDAP with the support of EMSResponder.com. Listen to the latest features here and look for the series archive at openairways.net.
To share your most meaningful case and the lesson it taught you, call FISDAP Open Airways at 1.651.314.7424
Open Airways: Stories from the back of the ambulance
The “Most Craziest Run”
Dave Long
“My partner Tom and I had gotten a call to a patient who was suffering from a stroke…” This ordinary beginning led to a chaotic night! Click to hear Dave Long share his “most craziest run.”
Dave Long is a paramedic and nurse at North Memorial Medical Center’s EMS Education Department in Minneapolis, MN, as well as a national EMS educator/speaker and contributor to EMSResponder.com.
Open Airways is a project to capture an oral history for the benefit of the EMS Community. EMS responders share some of the most meaningful cases of their careers, sometimes with humor and always with compassion. We hope that they will help us improve your practice and inspire a new generation of caregivers.
This series is produced by FISDAP with the support of EMSResponder.com. Listen to the latest features here and look for the series archive at openairways.net.
To share your most meaningful case and the lesson it taught you, call FISDAP Open Airways at 1.651.314.7424
Open Airways: Stories from the back of the ambulance
Circle of Life
Bruce Evans
Bruce Evans, EMS Chief for the City of North Las Vegas FD, shares the story of a patient whose sister asked to speak with the responders – several years after the incident.
“It turns out she was so impressed with the care that her sister got that she changed her major from accounting to nursing and had since become a cross-trained flight nurse and paramedic. She had also gone onto become an EMS instructor – all within 5 years time.”
Bruce says the lesson was all about caring for the person, not just the patient – which he had learned from a flight nurse and then passed on, unknowingly, to a new flight nurse.
Open Airways is a project to capture an oral history for the benefit of the EMS Community. EMS responders share some of the most meaningful cases of their careers, sometimes with humor and always with compassion. We hope that they will help us improve your practice and inspire a new generation of caregivers.
This series is produced by FISDAP with the support of EMSResponder.com. Listen to the latest features here and look for the series archive at openairways.net.
To share your most meaningful case and the lesson it taught you, call FISDAP Open Airways at 1.651.314.7424
Open Airways: Stories from the back of the ambulance
Snowmobiler vs. Tree
Greg Friese
Greg recalls an incident in rural Wisconsin in which a snowmobiler zoomed up to his ambulance and motioned for him to get on the back in order to reach an injured person. After they took off, Greg realized, “The stench of alcohol on his breath was so strong I almost fell off… and I realized the folly of what I had done in accepting a ride from this fellow.”
Click to here this story by Greg Friese, president of Emergency Preparedness Systems LLC.
Open Airways is a project to capture an oral history for the benefit of the EMS Community. EMS responders share some of the most meaningful cases of their careers, sometimes with humor and always with compassion. We hope that they will help us improve your practice and inspire a new generation of caregivers.
This series is produced by FISDAP with the support of EMSResponder.com. Listen to the latest features here and look for the series archive at openairways.net.
To share your most meaningful case and the lesson it taught you, call FISDAP Open Airways at 1.651.314.7424
EMS Study Tour
Neil Kirby
Listen to “meet” Neil Kirby, tour guide for the EMS Diversity in America tour traveling the Southwest U.S. this fall. Tour participants will spend the week of Oct. 7-14 visiting EMS systems throughout the region, and will earn 30 hours of continuing education credit by the Continuing Education Coordinating Board for Emergency Medical Services (CECBEMS). Participants will also do some sightseeing along the way, and will finish the tour in Las Vegas, Nevada in time to attend EMS Expo, where they will receive a complimentary 3-day admission.
Neil is the Director of Special Programs for the North Central EMS Institute, and has 30 years experience in EMS, most recently as the Deputy Commissioner of the Queensland Ambulance Service in Australia.
Listen for further details, and to register for the tour visit http://worldemstour.ncemsi.org. To learn more about EMS Expo visit http://www.emsexpo2008.com.
EMS Magazine Monthly Preview: March ‘08
Get the rundown on the latest features in EMS Magazine from Editor Nancy Perry. This month’s topics include best practices being implemented around the country to solve EMS recruitment and retention issues, as well as cardiac care. Listen to find out more.
EMS Magazine Monthly Insider: February ‘08
Thom Dick
“Challenging the notion of volunteers in EMS is like saying bad things about somebody’s mom – it’s one of those things you just don’t do,” writes author Thom Dick in his controversial cover report, EMS’ Dirty Secret. “But maybe it’s time to ask whether America’s volunteers are hurting themselves in their efforts to help others. Maybe… maybe they’re even hurting us.”
Listen as Thom discusses issues long ignored in EMS regarding the health and safety of its providers, as well as the health of the industry. Thom also explains that the article came about as a result of feedback to EMS Magazine editor Nancy Perry’s Oct. 2007 editorial entitled EMS’ Dirty Secret: Are You Paying the Price for Being In EMS?
Look for Thom’s article in your Feb. issue of EMS Magazine or online. To discuss Thom’s article visit our forums.
Thom Dick has been involved in EMS for 37 years, 23 of them as a full-time EMT and paramedic in San Diego County. He is the quality care coordinator for Platte Valley Ambulance Service, a community-owned, hospital-based 9-1-1 provider in Brighton, CO. Thom is also a member of EMS Magazine’s editorial advisory board. Reach him at boxcar_414@yahoo.com.
Safe Staging at MVAs Part 2: Richard W. Patrick
Part 2: Richard W. Patrick
Secondary accidents at MVAs are unfortunately common. In an informal poll on EMSResponder.com, the majority of respondents say they’ve had close calls, and more than a quarter say they’ve experienced secondary accidents on scene. In light of two such incidents that recently resulted in the tragic deaths of a Kentucky EMS supervisor and a Michigan EMT, we sought the safety advice of expert Rick Patrick.
In this podcast Rick explains safe staging techniques that can save lives without costing a thing. Also look for the Safe Staging podcast with Dave Long and his online handout, Freeway Operations and Roadway Safety.
Safe Staging at MVAs Part 1: Dave Long
Part 1: Dave Long
This January saw two tragic, traffic-related EMS responder deaths; one to an EMS supervisor and mother in Kentucky, and one to a promising young EMT in Michigan. Both women were killed by passing vehicles while working the scenes of prior motor vehicle accidents. We hope that with memories of these providers in mind, our listeners will take a renewed interest in the principles of safe staging and safe operations at MVAs.
In this podcast safety expert Dave Long provides his advice and emphasizes the prevalence of distracted drivers. Also look for Dave’s handout of top safety tips titled Freeway Operations and Roadway Safety, as well as our Safe Staging at MVAs podcast with safety expert Rick Patrick.
EMS Magazine Monthly Preview February ‘08
Editor Nancy Perry discusses this month’s top features, including the controversial cover report “EMS’ Dirty Secret,” by Thom Dick. Additional topics include responding to MCIs, as well as NIMS and Incident Command. Listen to find out more.