Scene Safety and Situational Awareness Scene safety is always the top priority on any EMS call, and this cannot be overstated when responding to a potential terrorist incident. Major incident training ingrains in us that we must “prioritize [our] own personal safety above that of the scene and survivors” ( Risks to emergency medical responders at [...]
Imagine this scenario: It’s a busy evening and your ambulance pulls up to chaos – flames billow from a row of vehicles in a campus parking lot, including a Tesla that’s fully engulfed. Students are fleeing in panic from what began as a protest that has now turned violent. As an EMS responder, the scene triggers [...]
"When faced with managing the airway of the pregnant patient, it is important to understand the anatomic and physiologic changes that occur during gestation. Not only does the pregnant female have to oxygenate, ventilate, perfuse and nourish the developing fetus, specific anatomic changes occur due to hormonal changes and fluctuations due to pregnancy. Often, intubation and [...]
Predicting the difficult airway is a combination of art and science. Sometimes the airway that looks relatively easy to manage can turn out to be a nightmare and the supposedly difficult airway based on external assessment can be managed relatively simple to maintain. A good rule of thumb is to always hope for the best [...]
The role and consequences of mechanical ventilation during transport is something that must be both understood and respected. While it can free up much needed manpower and allow for more consistent delivery of oxygen and removal of carbon dioxide, it can also have negative effects if applied incorrectly. Broadly speaking, mechanical ventilation can be utilized [...]
As time passes some things get worse and some things get better. With the transition from active-duty military service to a civilian career many times service members are starting over, which as many know is a daunting task. I got off active duty in 2014 and at that time I saw no clear path to utilizing [...]
If I asked you what phrase immediately comes to mine when you think of EMT school, paramedic school, working at your job, trainings, etc.? Is that phrase “BSI, scene safe”? In my nearly 20-year career working as a medic I have probably heard that phrase thousands of times. Between taking classes, teaching classes, training at new [...]
Uncontrolled bleeding causes death. More than 1 million people die every year because they bleed out. That means bleeding control sometimes needs to be quick, aggressive, and effective. When it comes to life threatening bleeding, there are a lot of ways to attempt to control it: direct pressure, elevation, restrict movement, tourniquets, pressure dressings, wound [...]
If you have ever called 911, the dispatcher, operator, or call taker likely asked you for the phone number you were calling from as well as the address of your emergency. With today’s technology, it is very possible the 911 center already had that information pop up on their screen as soon as you called, so [...]
