RideAlong: EMT School

Burn injuries are some of the most dramatic trauma patients EMS providers encounter — but the real danger often isn’t the burn itself. In this episode, we break down the different types of burns, how to assess burn severity, and why airway compromise, fluid loss, and infection risk make burn patients especially dangerous.

Mike, Max, and Jonathan walk through thermal, chemical, and electrical burns, the difference between superficial and full-thickness injuries, and how tools like the Rule of Nines help providers quickly estimate burn severity in the field. From scene safety to cooling burns and recognizing when a patient needs rapid transport to a burn center, this episode focuses on the priorities that matter most during burn emergencies.

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Episode Breakdown

00:00 – Intro, sponsor shoutouts, and episode setup

16:35 – Overview of burn injuries and why they’re high risk

28:10 – Medical Term of the Week: Rule of Nines

44:20 – Types of burns: thermal, chemical, electrical, and radiation

01:12:10 – Burn severity, airway risks, and complications

01:37:25 – Tools of the Trade: Burn Sheets / Burn Blankets

01:51:40 – Student Tip of the Week: Burn assessment basics

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⚠️ Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and storytelling purposes only. It is not medical advice or official EMT training. Always follow your accredited instructors and local protocols.

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🚑 RideAlong: EMT School Links

www.ridealong.bulletn.net

Soft tissue injuries are some of the most common calls in EMS — and some of the easiest to underestimate. In this episode, we break down contusions, abrasions, lacerations, hematomas, crush injuries, and bleeding control, focusing on what’s happening beneath the surface and why even “minor” trauma can become serious if reassessment is ignored.

Mike and Max walk through DCAP-BTLS, distraction injuries, shock risk, swelling, and the importance of repeated physical exams. The big takeaway: soft tissue trauma might not scream at you — but it can absolutely sneak up on you.

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Check out our sponsor!!!

www.MicroDotCS.com

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Episode Breakdown

00:00 – Intro, sponsor shoutout, and episode setup

14:10 – Overview of soft tissue trauma and assessment priorities

22:15 – Medical Term of the Week: DCAP-BTLS

35:50 – Contusions, abrasions, lacerations, and bleeding control

01:18:45 – Shock, internal bleeding concerns, and reassessment

01:55:50 – Tools of the Trade: Cold Packs (Sponsored by microdot / Cambridge Sensor)

01:57:00 – Student Tip of the Week: 5-Question NREMT Test Prep Quiz

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⚠️ Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and storytelling purposes only. It is not medical advice or official EMT training. Always follow your accredited instructors and local protocols.

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🚑 RideAlong: EMT School Links

www.ridealong.bulletn.net

In this special interview episode of the RideAlong: EMT School Podcast, we’re joined by Dr. John Croushorn, Emergency Medicine Physician, Founder and Chief Medical Officer of Compression Works, and co-inventor of the AAJT-S.

Dr. Croushorn sits down with us to discuss the AAJT-S (Abdominal Aortic and Junctional Tourniquet – Stabilized) — what it is, why it was developed, and where it fits into the management of severe, life-threatening hemorrhage when standard extremity tourniquets aren’t enough. We break down junctional and truncal bleeding, device indications, physiologic effects, and the realities of deploying advanced hemorrhage control tools in high-stress environments.

The conversation also explores how devices like the AAJT-S translate from military and tactical medicine into civilian EMS, the challenges of training and decision-making around low-frequency / high-consequence tools, and what EMTs and paramedics should understand about hemorrhage control beyond “tourniquet goes high and tight.”

This episode is an honest, practical discussion about capability, limitations, and clinical judgment — and what it actually looks like when advanced bleeding control meets the real world.

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Check out the AAJT-S from Compression Works!

https://compressionworks.com/

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Episode Breakdown

00:00 – Introduction & welcoming Dr. Croushorn

03:45 – Background in emergency medicine and device development

08:30 – The problem of junctional and truncal hemorrhage

14:00 – What the AAJT-S is and how it works

21:00 – Indications, contraindications, and physiologic considerations

29:30 – Civilian vs military use cases for junctional tourniquets

38:00 – Training challenges with low-frequency, high-risk devices

47:15 – Decision-making under pressure and hemorrhage prioritization

56:00 – Where tools like the AAJT-S fit in modern EMS systems

01:04:30 – Advice for EMTs encountering severe bleeding scenarios

01:12:00 – Final thoughts on hemorrhage control and preparedness

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⚠️ Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and storytelling purposes only. It is not medical advice or official EMT training. Always follow your accredited instructors and local protocols.

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🚑 RideAlong: EMT School Links

www.ridealong.bulletn.net

The trauma block starts now.

In this episode, we dive into one of the most time-critical topics in EMS: bleeding and shock. From arterial spurters to sneaky internal hemorrhage, we break down how blood loss kills, how shock develops, and what we can actually do about it in the field. We revisit the lethal trauma triad, talk tourniquets (including junctional applications), and walk through why “treat for shock” is more than just something instructors say on repeat.

This episode is sponsored by Compression Works — makers of the AAJT-S, a device designed to control hemorrhage where traditional tourniquets can’t reach.

If it’s red and leaving the body, we’re paying attention.

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Visit Compression Works to learn more about the AAJT-S!!!

https://compressionworks.com/

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Episode Breakdown

00:00 – 90’s nostalgia, EMS life updates & NREMT test talk

15:40 – Sponsor: Compression Works & the AAJT-S

19:00 – Welcome to the Trauma Block

21:30 – Medical Term of the Week: Shock (review + deep dive)

41:00 – The Lethal Trauma Triad

52:00 – External Bleeding: Arterial vs Venous vs Capillary

1:10:00 – Tourniquets, Wound Packing & Pressure Dressings

1:23:00 – Internal Bleeding: What You Can’t See Can Kill

1:48:00 – Tools of the Trade: Junctional Tourniquets

2:02:00 – Student Tip of the Week: Train the Tactile Skills

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⚠️ Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and storytelling purposes only. It is not medical advice or official EMT training. Always follow your accredited instructors and local protocols.

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🚑 RideAlong: EMT School Links

www.ridealong.bulletn.net

Chris & Spencer - EMS 20/20 (RideAlong Interview)

In this special interview episode of the RideAlong: EMT School Podcast, we sit down with Chris Pfingsten and Spencer Oliver, the hosts of the hit podcast EMS 20/20.

Chris and Spencer join us to talk about their individual paths into EMS, how their friendship evolved through paramedic school, and how those experiences ultimately shaped the creation of EMS 20/20. Along the way, we dive into real-world EMS decision-making, the realities of working with limited resources, why classroom learning still matters, and how randomness and chaos are part of every call — sometimes literally decided by a 20-sided die.

As always, the conversation takes a few entertaining detours into movie references, questionable ambulance memories, fictional EMS worlds, and the kind of gallows humor that only makes sense if you’ve worn gloves at 3 a.m.

This episode is packed with insight for EMT students, seasoned providers, and anyone curious about what EMS really looks like beyond the textbook.

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Check out the EMS 20/20 CE Credit Subscription!

https://flightbridgeed.com/xproduct/ems-20-20-podcast-ce-subscription/

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Episode Breakdown

00:00 – Welcome & special guest introduction

02:00 – Name pronunciations, Hollywood Video memories, and early EMS stories

09:45 – First calls, rookie nerves, and “how sweaty were you?”

15:00 – Chris & Spencer’s paths into EMS and paramedic school

23:00 – Humor, coping mechanisms, and being misunderstood in EMS

26:30 – Ambulance types, vomit floods, and operational competence

33:00 – Building EMS 20/20 and why randomness matters in learning

01:09:00 – Classroom vs real-world medicine and the value of new EMTs

01:12:00 – Resource-rich vs resource-limited systems and decision-making

01:33:00 – In-flight medical emergencies and what actually happens

01:37:00 – EMS in fictional worlds (Middle-earth, Gotham, and Florida)

01:44:00 – Final thoughts, encouragement, and closing reflections

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⚠️ Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and storytelling purposes only. It is not medical advice or official EMT training. Always follow your accredited instructors and local protocols.

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🚑 RideAlong: EMT School Links

www.ridealong.bulletn.net

I Don’t Need Your Civil Warfarin – Hematologic & Renal Emergencies

Some of the most dangerous emergencies in EMS don’t look dramatic when you first arrive on scene. In this episode, we dive into hematologic and renal emergencies — the “quiet” problems involving blood, kidneys, dialysis, and anticoagulants that can deteriorate rapidly if key details are missed.

Mike, Max, and Jonathan break down how blood and kidney function are deeply connected, why blood thinners deserve immediate respect, and how missed dialysis, fistulas, and fluid imbalance can turn a routine call into a critical one. This episode emphasizes patient history, secondary assessment, and recognizing subtle red flags that matter just as much as vitals.

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Episode Breakdown

00:00 – Intro, episode title, and catching up

29:06 – Overview of hematologic and renal emergencies

30:46 – Medical Term of the Week: Blood Thinners

48:40 – Blood disorders, anticoagulants, and EMS implications

01:12:00 – Renal emergencies, dialysis patients, and fistula considerations

01:43:30 – Missed dialysis, rapid deterioration, and transport decisions

01:45:34 – Student Tip of the Week: Secondary assessment and patient history

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⚠️ Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and storytelling purposes only. It is not medical advice or official EMT training. Always follow your accredited instructors and local protocols.

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🚑 RideAlong: EMT School Links

www.ridealong.bulletn.net

Step Back From That Ledge My Friend (Psychiatric Emergencies)

Psychiatric and behavioral emergencies are some of the most complex, emotionally charged calls EMS providers will ever respond to. In this episode, we take a deep dive into mental health crises, suicide, and behavioral emergencies—why they’re becoming more common, how they present in the field, and how EMTs can approach these patients safely, professionally, and with empathy.

Drawing from both textbook fundamentals and real-world experience, we break down how to recognize a true mental health emergency, how to communicate with patients in crisis, and why these calls can escalate quickly if warning signs are missed. We also tackle excited delirium as our Medical Term of the Week, discuss involuntary holds, scene safety, and documentation, and wrap with an important reminder that EMS providers are not immune to mental health struggles themselves.

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New RideAlong: EMT School Shirts Available!!!

https://shop.bulletn.net/brand/ridealong/

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Episode Breakdown

00:00 – Intro, life updates, and setting the tone

12:06 – Overview of psychiatric emergencies, mental health crisis, and suicide

19:09 – Medical Term of the Week: Excited Delirium

36:28 – Recognizing behavioral emergencies and red flags

43:04 – Triggers vs. causes in mental health crises

01:11:22 – Assessing mental status and patient communication

01:47:23 – Involuntary holds, documentation, and legal considerations

02:07:34 – Tools of the Trade: Airway adjuncts

02:07:53 – Student Tip of the Week: EMS provider mental health and asking for help

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⚠️ Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and storytelling purposes only. It is not medical advice or official EMT training. Always follow your accredited instructors and local protocols.

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🚑 RideAlong: EMT School Links

www.ridealong.bulletn.net

Let The Fear Take the Wheel and Steer (Graduation & EVOC)

In this episode, we’re officially on the other side of EMT school — but not without one last gut check. We break down our EVOC experience, what we thought emergency vehicle operations would be versus what actually matters, and why “due regard” isn’t just a legal phrase — it’s a mindset. We also reflect on graduation, testing anxiety, and the strange emotional whiplash of finally being done… and immediately thinking about what’s next.

From cone courses and uncomfortable realizations to why slowing down can actually save more lives, this one ties together the end of EMT school with the beginning of real-world responsibility.

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Episode Breakdown

00:00 – Intro, EVOC nerves, and expectations vs reality

50:55 – Graduation, practical exams, and NREMT head games

01:29:40 - Medical Term of the Week: Due Regard

01:46:03 - EVOC After Action Report

01:54:45 – Tools of the Trade: ANSI / NZ 107 High-Visibility Safety Vest

02:04:40 – Student Tip of the Week: Scene safety isn’t optional — make yourself visible

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⚠️ Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and storytelling purposes only. It is not medical advice or official EMT training. Always follow your accredited instructors and local protocols.

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🚑 RideAlong: EMT School Links

www.ridealong.bulletn.net

ROSC You Like a Hurricane (Resuscitation)

Resuscitation is one of the heaviest and most misunderstood topics in EMS. In this episode, we break down what resuscitation really looks like in the prehospital environment — from recognizing cardiac arrest and organizing a response, to understanding rhythms, defibrillation, and when transport versus continued on-scene care makes sense. We also talk candidly about expectations, teamwork, and what “success” really means in resuscitation.

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VIST OUR EPISODE AND TOOLS OF THE TRADE SPONSOR!!!

Master Medical Equipment

https://www.mmemed.com

Defibtech

https://www.defibtech.com

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Episode Breakdown

00:00:08 – Intro, shoutouts, and dedication

00:15:18 – A message from our sponsor: Master Medical Equipment

00:22:02 – Medical Term of the Week: Triangle of Life

00:35:42 – Main topic discussion: Resuscitation

01:49:00 – When do we stop? Termination of resuscitation, protocols, and medical direction

02:08:11 – Tools of the Trade: AED (Sponsored by Master Medical Equipment + Defibtech)

02:33:54 – Student Tip of the Week: Take a CPR/AED class

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⚠️ Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and storytelling purposes only. It is not medical advice or official EMT training. Always follow your accredited instructors and local protocols.

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🚑 RideAlong: EMT School Links

www.ridealong.bulletn.net

Four Quadrant Death Hunch (Abdominal Emergencies)

Abdominal pain is one of the most common — and most underestimated — complaints in EMS. In this episode, we break down abdominal emergencies through anatomy, assessment, and red flags that should immediately raise concern. From peritonitis and appendicitis to abdominal aortic aneurysms and referred pain, we focus on what EMTs need to recognize early and why “just belly pain” is never something to ignore.

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Episode Breakdown

00:00 – Intro and episode setup

03:30 – Why abdominal emergencies are difficult to assess in the field

31:45 – Medical Term of the Week: Peritonitis

44:55 – Abdominal quadrants, anatomy, and what organs live where

50:45 – Peritoneum vs retroperitoneal space and why it matters

58:15 – Types of abdominal pain, including referred pain

01:19:00 – Abdominal aortic aneurysm and life-threatening red flags

01:51:00 – Tools of the Trade: Thermometers and recognizing infection/sepsis

02:05:30 – Student Tip of the Week: Never dismiss abdominal pain

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⚠️ Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and storytelling purposes only. It is not medical advice or official EMT training. Always follow your accredited instructors and local protocols.

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🚑 RideAlong: EMT School Links

www.ridealong.bulletn.net