This blog is part of a larger "What-If-We're-Wrong-a-Thon" by several EMS bloggers where we attempt to view the opposite point of view on a topic we have previously taken a stand on. You can find the other articles here. This weekend I had the opportunity to attend the Connecticut State EMS Conference (more on that... Continue Reading →
Hardly a week goes by without hearing about providers feeling left out in the planning of the futures of their agencies and the future of EMS in general. It's true, some providers will never be happy, that is the nature of humans at large and it is present in any profession. Yet, not everyone is... Continue Reading →
The pulse at his jugular notch was racing. I could count it's beats visibly without palpation. I wondered at the intricate systems that worked to keep a heart beating and continue the magic that is life. Then I solemnly remembered that one day that pulse would be stilled and the magic of the soul would... Continue Reading →
I recently had the opportunity to attend a lecture called “Why Just Manage When You Can Lead?” by Ray Barishansky. There were many little leadership morsels and treats to delve into a little deeper in future blogs, but today I'd like to focus on one in particular that keeps rearing it's head in my life.... Continue Reading →
Folks, I have something important to say. I'm going to keep the flowery language and gentle guiding you are used to from me to a minimum because what I have to talk about is so obvious and yet so overlooked that perhaps keeping it simple will help. It's winter. It's cold. Put a blanket... Continue Reading →
We pulled up to the desolate truck stop, our headlights shining on the sole person in the lot. Presumably she was our “sick” patient. She wore a pink head rag, dingy t-shirt and jeans, with even dingier keds carrying a bag full of her only possessions in the world. Her face showed a perpetual weariness... Continue Reading →
We spend our days complaining about how life what isn't what we expected or how we haven't reached our expected timeline instead of accepting that, letting it go, and focusing on our dreams. I'm too old.I can't afford it.I'm not that smart.I'm (insert any excuse here). Life is hard. No one warns you about getting... Continue Reading →
This week was a week of firsts. My first infant code and consequently my first Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (CISD). For 18 years I was able to dodge the bullet of having to respond to dead or severely sick or injured babies. One time, there were too many new EMTs that just graduated so... Continue Reading →
Ah, EMS Week, full of granola bars, bat-belt chachkis, and music videos. No, not a typo, my EMS Week 2014 included the great opportunity to be involved in Lt. Farooq Muhammad’s latest and much awaited EMS rap video: A Day in the Life of EMS! Everyone involved in the making of this video embodied the... Continue Reading →
“Not everyone wants a medal for their uniform, but everybody likes to hear 'Thank You'.” Once again it is EMS Week – a week to recognize EMS providers, get free food, and maybe educate the public about EMS and what we do. I recently had the opportunity to be part of a podcast about EMS... Continue Reading →
The EMS Siren 