In this episode Nick and Guest Eric Casavant talk about what makes a good partnership, the challenges of rotating crews and share their best memory that reminds them of why we do what we do. Eric is a current Firefighter/Advanced EMT at the Burlington Fire Department assigned to Ambulance 2 as Nick’s partner. He has a degree from Vermont Technical College in Fire Science and is a proud Northeast Emergency Training Solutions AEMT graduate. He now works for NETS as an Instructor for all course levels.

In this bonus feature, Doctor George and Nick dive deeper into the pathophysiology of a brain injury and why we are moving away from permissive hypotension in TBIs. If you are looking for a little more than Episode 12 and want to understand the more complex ways the human brain mitigates injury, this feature is for you. From the Monro-Kellie Doctrine to Cushing’s Triad, Doctor George will share some keys to understanding a TBI.

Resources:

rebelem.com

epic.arizona.edu

This episode features Emergency Medicine Attending Physician Doug George. Currently he is a Physician Medical Director at the University of Vermont Medical Center in the Emergency Department. His background includes service as a Firefighter/EMT, medical residency in Boston, MA working with Boston EMS as well as a coveted EMS fellowship in Albuquerque, New Mexico where he provided 911 scene care both on ground units and rotor wing air response. Doctor George has experience working with Critical Care, 911 EMS and Fire Based EMS systems and is always willing to talk EMS. Today we bend his ear about the keys to recognizing and treating Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs).

This episode features Beth Jacobs M.A. Beth is one of the clinical psychologists who is pioneering specialized care in this area. She is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor, Professional Licensed Counselor and an EMDR certified clinician. Beth is associated with dozens of departments in the area and can often be seen taking care of first responders from across New York and Vermont. She attributes her love of helping those on the front lines in part to her husband who is a 25+ year police veteran. We discuss the work life balance, some common challenges that first responders face and what we can be doing to stay healthy and rolling out the door when the bell hits.

Tim Ferris is the Chief Operating Officer and founding member of Northeast Emergency Training Solutions, LLC. Tim brings over 17 years as a paramedic and almost two decades of EMS education from across the country. He is a current 911 firefighter/paramedic and paramedic program faculty in charge of training new providers. Operations are a key component of NREMT testing at every level and should be something every provider is familiar with. In this episode, Tim shares his thoughts on how EMS Systems are set up and the pros/cons of each.

Prescott Nadeau and Troy Ruggles join me to provide their take on the important topic of training. Prescott Nadeau is a Senior Firefighter and Training officer at the Williston, VT Fire Department. He has been in the fire service since 2003 and holds the title of Training Officer. Chief Troy Ruggles is currently the Battalion Chief of Training for the Burlington, VT Fire Department. He has also taught for both the Vermont and New Hampshire Fire Academies for more than 18 years.

In this bonus feature Doctor James takes the information from the "Let's Talk Airway" podcast and puts it into practice. When do you pull the trigger on intubation, what if that doesn't work? Here she helps you get more comfortable about putting knowledge into action. *There is an error, at 6:30. Nick refers to End Tidal CO2 being high in DKA but it was actually low.

Today we tackle the "A & B" in ABCs. Airway is one of the most crucial components of any EMS run. Our Medical Director, Doctor Wendy James joins us to talk about the things everybody should be thinking when dealing with the airway and breathing. Doctor James completed her residency in Worcester, MA while working as a 911 scene flight physician. Her experience includes 27 years in EMS, paramedic education, and medical direction. Doctor James now is an attending physician at a Level I Trauma Center. From EMT to critical care, this episode goes in depth to what you need to know and why you need to know it. *Check out the bonus content for this episode: "When to Act"

Special guest Bill Cotell joins Code 321 to talk about the different job opportunities that EMS can offer and how to get them. He shares his advice learned from 30 years of EMS including 18 years as a ALS Paramedic in the Boston, MA area. Bill has been held jobs in the volunteer, career and private EMS systems including titles as EMS Supervisor and Director of Operations. If you are thinking about a career in EMS, start here. Find out which style you are interested in early, these tips are not to be missed.