STATMedEvacAirPod's podcast

September is National Suicide Prevention Month, making it an important time to focus on the mental health and well-being of those who spend their careers caring for others. On this episode of the STAT MedEvac AirPod, R.J. Morrison of Morrison Enterprises and The Code Green Campaign joins Dr. Vint Blackburn of the Allegheny County Medical Society's Physician Wellness Program to discuss mental health awareness among healthcare professionals and first responders. Together, they address the challenges of stigma, the importance of recognizing when help is needed, and the resources available to support those on the front lines.

This is a follow-up to the previous podcast with Aaron Weidman, MA, PhD from the UPMC Emergency Medicine Research department. This follow-up conversation explains the updated real-world implementation of the research project. Prehospital care providers, in ambulances and helicopters, will be mic'd to help with the machine learning as well as eventual chart documentation.

How important is it to have a good LZ brief? Should it be long? Should it be brief? Are strobe lights helpful or not helpful when it comes to night vision goggles? Thanks to David McWilliams, Chief, Richland V.F.D and STAT MedEvac Pilot, Robert Paugh for the LZ discussion. Make sure you contact Cindy Snyder to get your department's LZ class.

Recently, EMS pioneer Ed Marasco was honored by the Western Pennsylvania EMS Legends organization for his remarkable 45-year career in emergency medical services and healthcare leadership. But Ed's impact reaches far beyond Western Pennsylvania. As one of the visionary healthcare executives who helped launch STAT MedEvac more than four decades ago, his influence has helped shape the delivery of critical care medicine and air medical transport across the region and beyond. Join us as we celebrate Ed's career, reflect on the early days of STAT MedEvac, and hear firsthand stories from a leader whose dedication has left a lasting mark on EMS and healthcare.

Dr. Lenny Weiss, STAT MedEvc's Assistant Medical Director, joins the podcast to recap the planning of 2 large back-to-back events. The 2026 NFL Draft and the Pittsburgh Marathon were recent large events that required intensive multi-agency planning.

This month's episode we bring back Brian Shaw, Executive Director of the 10-county EMS regional office, EMS West. Brian talks about what might be upcoming on the overall EMS West plan for the future, like video assisted laryngoscopy, and discusses why the annual EMS education symposium, EMS Update, at Seven Springs Resort is such a great opportunity to obtain excellent and unique continuing education.

As has been the history of STAT MedEvac, the organization has again led the way in developing the next level of technology in the critical care transport arena. STAT MedEvac's leadership, board of directors and flight crews helped to develop the Airbus H135 helicopter. STAT MedEvac now has multiple H135 aircraft on line and it is the state-of-the-art aircraft for the industry. Thanks to STAT MedEvac Master Pilot, Andrew Montenaro, MedEvac 16, for joining the podcast.

In our first episode of 2026, it seems fitting to hear from James Houser, President and CEO of the UPMC Center for Emergency Medicine of Western Pennsylvania, Inc. / STAT MedEvac. It has long been the legacy of STAT MedEvac to create and innovate change within the air medical and ground critical care transport industry. Jim discusses this legacy, including STAT MedEvac's role in the innovation of the Airbus H135 aircraft, which features advanced Airbus Helionix avionics.

Dr. Paul Paris, Medical Director Emeritus, the Pittsburgh Emergency Medicine Foundation, has been known to many in Western Pennsylvana in various roles. An EM physician at UPMC - Presbyterian, an on-line medical director to many of the EMS providers, a mentor to EM residents and researchers and, the hand-picked leader to take over the Center for Emergency Medicine of Western Pennsylvania from it's original creator, Dr. Ron Stewart.

Dr. Paris was recently recognized by PEMF as the 2025 Ronald D. Stewart Excellence Award. We took a few minutes to talk about his career and how he feels about the impact he has had on many EMS careers.

Concerts, marathons, golf outings...what is involved from a medical coverage readiness? Dr. Vince Mosesso, Emergency Medicine, discussed the behind the scenes planning assessments and logistics with interesting examples.