Inside EMS

The role of emergency management within the community

This episode of Inside EMS is brought to you by Lexipol, the experts in policy, training, wellness support and grants assistance for first responders and government leaders. To learn more, visit lexipol.com.

Our cohosts are joined this week by Jeff Hensley, emergency manager for MedTrust Medical Transport in Charleston, South Carolina, who discusses the requirements for the position and the characteristics of a successful emergency manager.

The discussion also touches on the role of emergency management in the community during public health crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the opioid epidemic. 

Why introducing waveform capnography can help EMTs grow

This episode of Inside EMS is brought to you by Lexipol, the experts in policy, training, wellness support and grants assistance for first responders and government leaders. To learn more, visitlexipol.com.

Inside EMS cohosts Chris Cebollero and Kelly Grayson respond to the social media discussion on a recent EMS1 article: "Should waveform capnography be in the EMT scope of practice?"

The comments on the topic were divided:

• "If you can bag or insert an airway, you should be able to use ETCO2. As others have said, it’s a fantastic tool for all levels of clinical practice."
• "They need to be good at what is already in their scope of practice and most of the aren’t. They’re just medic dependent."
• "... Why is this even a question? Absolutely yes."

Our cohosts discuss how to train EMTs for this skill and how to make it a reality in the educational process. Chris offers his take on the topic and suggests that nothing needs to be added to the EMT curriculum; instead, he believes it's the responsibility of the agency to teach this skill. 

The ’hidden curriculum’ in EMS education: Teaching the good, the bad and the ugly

This episode of Inside EMS is brought to you by Lexipol, the experts in policy, training, wellness support and grants assistance for first responders and government leaders. To learn more, visit lexipol.com.

Cohosts Chris Cebollero and Kelly Grayson discuss the "hidden curriculum" in EMS education on this episode of the Inside EMS podcast, differentiating the fine line between a discussion of the educational components, the potentiality for bad habits and "lore" of EMS – and all three have a place. The duo makes the case for balance when teaching about the good, the bad and the ugly of an EMS career. 

The discussion also touches on valuing experience over evidence-based medicine, how to take the ego out of the educational process, and instructor tips for teaching flexibility and the importance of doing the right thing as a matter of principle to students. 

Additional EMS education resources: 

• Passion: Is it required to teach EMS?
• Addressing toxic heroism in the EMS education system
• How to recognize lazy students, bad instructors

 

For Benoit: How to become a resilient provider

This episode of Inside EMS is brought to you by Lexipol, the experts in policy, training, wellness support and grants assistance for first responders and government leaders. To learn more, visit lexipol.com.

By request, this episode of Inside EMS tackles the topic of resiliency, based on a conversation cohost Chris Cebollero had with listener Benoit Rudolphe at EMS World Expo. Cebollero and fellow cohost Kelly Grayson take the idea and run with it, detailing the top six elements of achieving personal or professional resilience.

Additional resiliency resources:

•  How to build mental health resilience in EMS
• Quick Take: Building first responder resilience
• Fit for duty: How to be a resilient responder
• Enhancing first responder resilience through mindfulness
• EMT 360: Teach emotional resilience during training

 

A step-by-step process for becoming an EMS conference speaker

This episode of Inside EMS is brought to you by Lexipol, the experts in policy, training, wellness support and grants assistance for first responders and government leaders. To learn more, visit lexipol.com.

Fresh off their appearance at EMS World Expo, Inside EMS cohosts Chris Cebollero and Kelly Grayson break down what it takes to become a successful conference speaker. The duo discuss the process for getting engaged in events at both the state and national level, how to develop a professional presentation, the agonizing-but-cathartic process of crafting a catchy title and the critical need for to fully prepare before the event. 

To cap off the episode, Chris gives listeners a behind-the-scenes look at his personal preparation process ahead of a speaking engagement. 

Learn more about attending and speaking at EMS conferences:

• Conference dos and don’ts
• How to select education sessions at an EMS conference
• EMS conferences: 10 reasons for volunteers to attend
• 10 ways to get the most out of a virtual conference

Should EMS require tactical gear for providers in wake of FDNY captain’s murder?

This episode of Inside EMS is brought to you by Lexipol, the experts in policy, training, wellness support and grants assistance for first responders and government leaders. To learn more, visit lexipol.com.

This week, co-hosts Chris Cebollero and Kelly Grayson discuss the murder of FDNY EMS Capt. Alison Russo, who was violently stabbed to death by a man just a half mile from her home EMS station. The conversation touches on personal safety, how to prepare the EMS workforce with additional safety equipment and self defense training.

The duo also revisit the fraught discussion about arming EMS providers in the field and how thoughts on the topic have evolved over the years. 

Notable quotes from the episode

"Some people say, 'We're not combatants, we're compassionate.' I was a combat medic; we can do both." — Chris Cebollero

"Are we becoming so inured to the violence we face every day that we look at it as part of the job?" — Kelly Grayson

"I think we need to learn hand-to-hand combat, I think we need to worry about wearing Kevlar vests, and we need to think about arming our paramedics with some kind of weapon." — Chris Cebollero

 

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More about fallen FDNY EMS Capt. Alison Russo

• An outpouring of support, outrage over FDNY EMS provider's murder
• Rapid response: Risk of senseless violence is constantly looming
• EMS response is often considered safer than firefighting, but is it?
• Former partner of slain FDNY EMS Lt. Alison Russo reflects on her love of EMS
• Slain FDNY EMS Lt. Alison Russo devoted herself to volunteer agency for 30 years
• Fallen 25-year FDNY veteran was months from retirement
• FDNY EMS Lt. Alison Russo to be posthumously promoted to captain

 

Mike Touchstone on how to elevate your EMS career

This episode of Inside EMS is brought to you by Lexipol, the experts in policy, training, wellness support and grants assistance for first responders and government leaders. To learn more, visit lexipol.com.

In this episode, host Chris Cebollero is joined by guest co-host Mike Touchstone, who previously served as president of the National EMS Management Association and recently retired as the deputy paramedic chief of the Philadelphia Fire Department. Touchstone outlines the foundations of professionalism in your career, including the integration of your personal values, how to develop a personal strategic plan and how to advance to the next level of your EMS career. For good measure, Touchstone also offers a few tips on developing a national presence through professional writing and speaking on EMS issues at conferences. 

Ketamine as an anxiety, depression medication?

This episode of Inside EMS is brought to you by Lexipol, the experts in policy, training, wellness support and grants assistance for first responders and government leaders. To learn more, visit lexipol.com.

In this episode, cohosts Chris Cebollero and Kelly Grayson discuss the drug Ketamine and its use in EMS. Providers may utilize the drug to assist with many different conditions they encounter in the field. The discussion references a recent article regarding ketamine's possible use in treating anxiety and depression, and the conversation turns to other drugs that are being used to treat similar maladies, such as MDMA, which has been touted as helpful when treating terminal patients.

Additional resources for ketamine use in EMS:

6 ways to avoid ketamine pitfalls

Article Bites: Pain management options

Understanding prehospital ketamine: Dosing to drawbacks

Excited delirium: The Long Beach integrated medical response

Vodcast: Patient with delirium and agitated behavior

‘Never forget’: meaning, purpose and emphasis

This episode of the Inside EMS podcast is sponsored by Verizon Frontline, the advanced network and technology for first responders on the front lines. Learn more at verizon.com/frontline.

In this special crossover episode, public safety leaders come together to reflect on the 21st anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks and the legacy of 9/11 in the emergency services.

Inside EMS host Chris Cebollero is joined by Policing Matters host Jim Dudley, deputy chief (ret.), of the San Francisco Police Department; and Gary Ludwig, of the Champaign (Illinois) Fire Department, the 2022 IAFC Career Fire Chief of the Year.

Together, they discuss how first responders have continued to move forward for over 20 years now and honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice on 9/11 as recruits enter public safety who were not even born yet at the time.

The focus is on honoring those who made the ultimate sacrifice and lived up to their oath to help others in their time of need, the legacy of lessons learned about responding in a hazardous situation, ongoing vigilance against threats and why “never forget” should not be a cavalier statement, but one made with meaning, purpose and with emphasis.

Read more recollections, as well as how lessons learned are impacting the way first responders of today train and respond to incidents in our 9/11 coverage, sponsored by Verizon.

Understanding the science of successful leadership with Lisa Giruzzi and Robbie MacCue

This episode of Inside EMS is brought to you by Lexipol, the experts in policy, training, wellness support and grants assistance for first responders and government leaders. To learn more, visit lexipol.com.

In this episode, cohosts Chris Cebollero and Kelly Grayson are joined by guests Lisa Giruzzi and Robbie MacCue, founders of the EMS Leadership Academy in New York. The robust conversation emphasizes the most important attributes of a leader, and the group discusses what future EMS leaders should know about the current state of the industry and where it's headed. Giruzzi and MacCue also share the philosophy of the EMS Leadership Academy and discuss the upcoming Fourth Annual EMS Leadership Summit. 

Learn more about the summit here.