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WEMSA Wrap-up: People and Products #WEMSA

The Wisconsin EMS Association is one of the biggest state conference exhibit halls. I have heard Texas is bigger (but isn’t everything bigger in Texas), but other than EMS World and EMS Today I haven’t seen a bigger state EMS exhibit hall.

Note: this is my final post from WEMSA. Catch-up with Day 1, Day 2, and Day 3

I am always on the look-out for interesting people and products.

Emergency Medical Solutions

Paramedic Tim Nowak provides EMS instruction and training through his business, Emergency Medical Solutions, LLC. He is based in Green Bay, Wisconsin and offering the Titletown 2013 EMS Symposium.

Slishman Traction Splint from Rescue Essentials

I asked WEMSA speaker, paramedic, and EMS educator, Jon Politis, “What’s hot in the exhibit hall?” He immediately replied, “You have to see the Slishman Traction Splint (available from Rescue-Essentials). We walked across the hall for an introduction and demonstration of the STS. It is an innovative device that is a worthy competitor to the Saeger or Kendrick Traction Device.

Pocket Bougie from BOMImed

Another product that caught my eye was just across the aisle from the STS. @Fayaz99, a difficult airway instructor and airway device sales manager, was demonstrating the Pocket BougieListen to an EMCrit podcast episode about the Pocket Bougie. 

CPR Training from APHE

My friend, paramedic, and educator Adam Fritsch is the owner of Advanced Professional Healthcare Education. Adam and his team of instructors teach CPR, ACLS, PALS, NAEMT courses, and more throughout Wisconsin. Adam has found great success teaching to EMS, hospitals, physician clinics, and skilled nursing facilities. I asked Adam for his keys to success. He made it sound simple:

  1. Show-up on time. 
  2. Teach the course as its designed.
  3. Make it easy to schedule a course. Even with just a few students.
  4. Remind employers it is time to renew and schedule another course.
  5. Track certification expiration for course graduates. Remind them when it is time to recertify.

WEMSA Schwag

Flight for Life App

Finally, the largest exhibit hall spaces are occupied by Wisconsin’s competing aeromedical services. Although the helicopters were all absent due to severe weather the day of the exhibit hall move-in, each service had an impressive display of ground units, free pocket guides and notebooks, food and candy, and flight suited personnel. The one schwag item that caught my eye was the Flight for Life App which has:

  • GPS Start Screen
  • Location Map and Pre-Determined Landing Zones
  • Send Alert/Add Info
  • Educational Cards

The app requires registration/activation as an authorized user. If I understand the brochure correctly a registered EMS user could use the app to text message or call the Flight for Life dispatch to activate an aeromedical response.

More information on the Flight for Life Central app (including Android and iOS download links).

By Greg

Elearning designer, writer, podcaster, blogger, presenter and paramedic. To relax I run and bike as far and as fast as I can. Also like to read a lot and fast.