STATMedEvacAirPod's podcast

One of STAT MedEvac's new EMS pilots, Amanda Montour, explains her love for aviation and her path to accumulating the flight hours to become a STAT MedEvac EMS Pilot.  One key component is dedication and persisitence. Second, "Love learning!"

This podcast, we talk about the OG EMS skill, needle chest decompression.  Many EMS providers learn and practice it in their annual skills review. But how many have done it on an actual patient?  Is it still an effective skill? UPMC-Presbyterian trauma surgeon, Joshua Brown, MD MSc overviews the latest research.

As first responders and critical care healthcare providers, we need to stay aware of our own mental health.

Chelsey Naum Purpura, MS, LPC received her Bachelor’s in Psychology at West Virginia University and her Masters in Counseling Psychology at Chatham University in Pittsburgh, PA. She is licensed as a Professional Counselor and has worked with children, adolescents, and adults and is part of the team at Favored Wellness Counseling.

It was due to working with clients who have experienced domestic violence and abuse that she found a passion for helping individuals heal from trauma. With this passion, she became trained in EMDR therapy. 

Learn more about Chelsey and EMDR therapy at FavoredWellness.com.

Clinicians for Climate Action launched a campaign to significantly improve healthcare sustainability at UPMC, the largest healthcare system in Pennsylvania. Our guest, Dr. Isabela Angelelli is the Co-Chair for Clinicians for Climate Action.  The current focus of her work in the environmental world includes trees as a public health intervention and efforts to decrease the carbon footprint of regional healthcare systems.

STAT MedEvac has been carrying blood on it's helicopters and ground units for years.  How the blood is obtained, stored and inventoried is explained by STAT's Medical Director Dr. Frank Guyette. It's a very efficient system.

William Horner, EMS pilot and Regional Manager for STAT MedEvac takes time to chat witih Kristen regarding his "dream job" as an EMS Pilot.  Where does one learn to be a pilot?  How long does it take to become an EMS helicopter pilot and what attracted Bill to STAT MedEvac specifically?

Thanks to Chief Tom Bell of the Greensburg Fire Department for having a chat about carbon monoxide.  As we are in the throws of winter and our houses are closed up, this is a good time for all of us to be familiar with the assessment of carbon monoxide hazards as well as the detectors that many fire departments make available.  

Kristen talks to Dr. Jenny Ziembicki, Medical Director of the UPMC/Mercy Burn Center about cold weather emergencies such as frost bite.  What is it?  How do first responders assess and treat it properly.  How to first responders prevent themselves from cold weather injuries when on calls?

Our guest, this month, is the Allegheny County Medical Society's Executive Director Sara C. Hussey, MBA, CAE.  The discussion this month is the mental health of physicians, the rising suicide rate of physcians and prevention/awareness.

In this episode, William Ankrom, an Instructor and Clinical Education Coordinator in the Department of Sports Medicine and Nutrition for the Athletic Training Program at UPMC, gets more into detail regarding the evaluation, diagnosis and treatment of concussions. Is there a rapid test that first responders and first caregivers can use to assess for a concussion?