EMS One-Stop

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. 

This episode of EMS One-Stop With Rob Lawrence 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.

Durham County, North Carolina, commissioners recently passed a pay increase for paramedics. The increase, which went into effect in August, took the starting hourly rate for paramedics from $20.84 to $28.25. Officials said the current staff will receive this rate and a multiplier based on their years of service to determine their final salary. 

One of the catalysts for this change occurred when Durham EMS Chief Paramedic, Mark Lockhart, read an article by Lexipol Editorial Director, Greg Friese, MS, NRP, “Pay paramedics a thriving wage to end the retention crisis,” and was inspired by the approach Greg suggested. “The thriving wage initiative was born,” Lockhart noted.

Across the board (EMT, AEMT, paramedics and supervisors), the average increase is 16.8%. For paramedics, the average salary increase was 25%. “We’re still facing recruitment challenges, but our retention significantly improved,” Lockhart wrote EMS1.

In this week’s podcast, Host Rob Lawrence welcomes both Mark Lockhart and Greg Friese to discuss the process that Durham EMS went through to achieve their increase as well as the pay situation across the EMS profession at the moment.

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.

From monkeypox to state licensure, to certification requirements and funding recruitment programs, it’s been a busy few weeks in EMS news. In this episode of Inside EMS, our cohosts run down the biggest news stories of the day, and what they mean for the future of EMS.

Together, they discuss:

• Monkeypox. With cases now identified in all 50 states, including a handful of pediatric cases, is it time to be anticipatory in preparing for a monkeypox emergency? Chris and Kelly discuss how transmission method, decontamination practices and COVID fatigue all come into play.

This episode of EMS One-Stop With Rob Lawrence 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 of EMS One-Stop, Host Rob Lawrence speaks with Melissa Harris, owner of AmbuServe Ambulance and Shoreline Ambulance operating in the greater Los Angeles area, while recording at the California Ambulance Association Stars of Life event in Sacramento, California.

Melissa describes how she began her EMS life and now owns and operates two ambulance companies, and pays homage to her staff. She also discusses the challenges that keep EMS leaders up at night, and current legislative challenges and associated calls to action.

Rob then speaks with AmbuServe Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Jim Karras, who interviews his three CAA Star of Life recipients, Ethan Garmon, Wesley Graves and Caitlyn Humphrey. They discuss the highs and lows of delivering service in the pandemic, and offer advice for new medics.

The full interview with Ethan, Wesley and Caitlynn is available on Ambuserve’s Real EMS podcast.

This episode of EMS One-Stop With Rob Lawrence 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.

Just over three months ago, Rob Luckritz assumed his new appointment as the Chief of Austin Travis County EMS, Texas. He got the job after a very public selection process where he not only competed against internal, time-served candidates, but also a list of very qualified external candidates. Thanks to the transparency of the process, the public, both in Austin, and far and wide, were able to follow the process every step of the way.

In this episode of EMS One-Stop, Host Rob Lawrence catches up with Rob Luckritz to discuss his first 100 days in office. Luckritz describes his reception so far, what he has found and his future plans for ATCEMS. He also offers advice for young EMS leaders aspiring to get a senior job at an organization such as ATCEMS and how to prepare for an EMS leadership career.

Luckritz also takes part in a quick-fire round, highlighting his thoughts on our current EMS challenges from recruiting to available ambulances and everything in between.  

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 tackle the topic of TXA, including its uses and how to administer it. In a recent article, "Understanding TXA," columnist Jonathan Lee offers an overview on how TXA is becoming a mainstay in the field and makes a case for it to be considered for shock and trauma patients. Grayson, who carries TXA on his ambulance, shares the protocols for the drug's administration and management. 

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 week's episode, co-hosts Chris Cebollero and Kelly Grayson are joined by Adam Heinz, executive director of REMSA Health in Reno, Nevada. The trio discusses the future of EMS, how agencies should rethink current systems and the role of EMS providers, and the best ways to recruit and retain new career professionals. Adam also shares the four P's for developing a successful EMS system.

This episode of EMS One-Stop 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 edition of EMS One-Stop, recorded at the Pinnacle EMS 2022 leadership conference, Host Rob Lawrence chats with Joe Ryan, MD.

Dr. Ryan is adjunct clinical assistant professor of emergency medicine at Stanford University and is well known as a veteran EMS medical director at some of the most notable EMS operations in the country, past and present, including MAST in Kansas City; City of Pittsburgh EMS; Sun Star in Pinellas County, Florida; Santa Clara County EMS in California; and REMSA in Reno, Nevada. 

Dr. Ryan was at Pinnacle to pay homage to his lifelong friend, Jack Stout, whose life was celebrated at the conference.

In the podcast, Dr. Ryan discusses the origins of high-performance EMS and his involvement with Jack Stout as he set EMS systems up. Additionally, Rob and Dr. Ryan look to the future and discuss the “silver tsunami” in geriatric healthcare.

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 crossover edition of EMS One-Stop and Inside EMS, hosts Rob Lawrence and Chris Cebollero report together from Pinnacle EMS 2022 leadership conference and are joined by guest Bruce Evans, president of NAEMT. 

During the discussion, Bruce issues a call-to-action to save ambulance services as we know it, in the face political, reimbursement and recruiting pressures. The crew also discusses their favorite presenters and presentations from the conference, and offer a vivid description of the memorial to the late Jack Stout, considered to be the father of high-performance EMS systems.

This episode of EMS One-Stop With Rob Lawrence 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.

There are more paramedics in Australia than there are paramedic jobs!

In this edition of EMS One-Stop, Host Rob Lawrence speaks with Mick Lazell, Neil Noble, Alan Mountford and Colin Allen of Australia EMS.

They are currently in the U.S., leading a study tour of undergraduate paramedic students from various Australian universities. They discuss the over-production of graduate paramedics in Australia and how they hope that visa, and clinical certification and registration hurdles can be overcome to allow Australian paramedics to seek employment in the US.

As we head to the Pinnacle EMS leadership conference, this could provide a key discussion point as we desperately seek to increase our clinical workforce.