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Wildland Fires: Need More Attention, Training and Support

In California, as well as many parts of the western United States, the wildfire season is lengthening because of a combination of drought, urbanization, invasive plant disease and climate change. The firefighters fighting California’s wildfires, the police and EMS providers who are evacuating civilians and caring for the injured deserve our interest, attention and support. As the […]

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Friday Night Ambulance Lights

I wanted to know how often an ambulance responds to an injured football player. With the help of the ESO EMS Index I was able to determine the frequency of incidents and injury types for more than 1,000 EMS agencies in the U.S. Read Data: How often does EMS respond to injured football players on EMS1.com — […]

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EMS Pros are the Best – Uniform Closet for Students in Need

Paramedic educator David Fifer took to Facebook to ask his network of EMS educators, leaders and field professionals for a pair of boots for a paramedic student. “One of my student’s shoes are falling apart, and he’s too poor to afford new ones. Before I just go buy some, does anybody happen to have an […]

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2018 Neal Award Finalist for EMS1 column

My EMS1 column has been named a finalist in the 2018 ABM Jesse H. Neal Awards, a b-to-b award program honoring editorial excellence. Three columns are featured in the ballot. What President Trump gets wrong about the opioid epidemic Don’t ask paramedics to decide if opioid overdose victims live or die It’s time to talk climate change […]

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EMS Tips – Trump’s Opioid Promise – Taxis for 911 Callers

1. President Trump’s impact on EMS and the opioid crisis On the campaign trail candidate Trump promised voters he would “end the opioid epidemic in America.” For a President who repeatedly reminds Americans that he is a genius, best dealmaker, top negotiator, and pro-life who knows the best people his actions to keep his promise […]

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EMS Tips – 2017 LODDs – Personal Safety

I am taking a moment today to remember the colleagues we have lost in the line of duty. 1. EMS Line of Duty Deaths 2017 EMS1 reported 11 EMT or paramedic line of duty death incidents in 2017. 2. Police Officer Line of Duty Deaths 2017 The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund issued a preliminary […]

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EMS Tips – Medics Who Made a Difference – Emergency! Quiz

1. Make an impact Every paramedic and EMT makes a difference for their patients, partners and family and friends of the patients. Most medics probably go above and beyond for a patient or group of strangers. I love receiving the stories of medics making an impact. Here are three from the EMS1 end of year […]

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Uber and Ambulances

Two economists conclude that Uber availability has reduced EMS ambulance transport by 7 percent in major U.S. cities. Really? I have been writing about Uber and ambulances for a couple of years and I am always a proponent of patients receiving the right care (which includes transport as a treatment) at the right time. Read […]

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Get Smart about Opioid Exposure Risks

A panel of law enforcement and EMS experts discussed the risks of opioid exposure to police, fire and EMS in a panel discussion at EMS World Expo. To learn from the panel you can read this article What EMS providers need to know to protect themselves from fentanyl exposure and take a course from the EMS1Academy, Free […]

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Climate change is impacting emergency responders

On Tuesday morning when the death toll from the Sonoma and Napa counties was just 11 people (it’s now 35 dead) and only 1,400 structures had been destroyed I wrote a FireRescue1.com and EMS1.com article. “In the last two months, historic levels of rainfall, flooding and wildfire in the continental U.S. and its territories have […]