Rogue Medic

Mix your favorite EMS instructor with The New England Journal of Medicine with Rage Against the Machine and you’ve got Rogue Medic, a blog for the smart, non-conformist in all of us. The Rogue Medic is Tim Noonan, an experienced paramedic who created a blog under a few simple beliefs. First, much of what we do in EMS is flat out wrong. Second, EMS practitioners should be smarter and better at what we do.

To that end he created his blog, and, year after year, he’s delivered some of the best information out there about what’s real and what’s make-believe in the world of EMS research. In his own words, Tim’s mission is to frighten, intimidate or cause emotional distress to those who intend to keep EMS from improving.

Tim doesn’t pull any punches. He isn’t looking to make a lot of friends and he doesn’t care who he offends in his quest to dissect our EMS research, protocols and sacred cows. Tim’s brash, strait forward and opinionated and I like him a while lot, even when he’s picking apart my writings.

There are several things that makes Tim unique in the world of EMS blogs. First, he’s prolific. When he’s on a rant, he will go for 1,000, 2,000 even 3,000 words in his effort to sort out his opinion and make it into a well defined argument. Second, he’s willing to do the research and the leg work to write a really well informed blog. Make no mistake, what Tim does isn’t easy. Every word he writes is backed by a considerable amount of secondary research and exploration. He’s well informed and it shows. If you’re going to pick a fight with Tim, you better do your homework.

Why you should use his blog:

Rogue Medic is simply the best way to keep up on current EMS research. If you want to know the why or the why not behind the EMS treatments that you perform, you won’t find cleared insights that Tim’s. I’ve listened to him take on doctors and researchers with sharp insights and clear reasoning. You might not agree with everything he writes (and he’ll be the first one to tell you that you shouldn’t) but he will make you think critically about the care that you provide each shift.

A little sample from The Rogue Medic:

I rarely give oxygen.

We should be giving drugs only for a specific effect.

We should not be giving drugs just to satisfy a protocol.

We should not be giving drugs to satisfy a mnemonic.

A mnemonic is a memory aid.

A mnemonic is not a standing order.

-Tim Noonan

If you’re ready for more, it’s time to add Rogue Medic to your list of  EMS blogs.

The EMS Garage

There are a bunch of EMS podcasts out there. The variety and selection can be really dizzying. Over the past few years, several really good ideas have come and gone. Many podcasts don’t survive because their creators don’t realize just how hard it is to turn out an interesting, quality podcast week after week. Listening to the witty banter and well planned subject matter might make the listener think, “Hey, I could do this every week.”

The truth is, good podcasting is hard. It’s difficult to put together the right people, the right subject with the technical aplomb to bring it all together. It also takes a good bit of focus and consistency to do it again every week. There are several EMS podcasts that have done the job well over the past few years. The first one I want to tell you about is The EMS Garage.

I love this podcast for a bunch of reasons but I love it first and foremost because it’s authentic. The people who participate in the show really like each other and it shows. The EMS Garage is the creative brain-child of Chris Montera, EMS’s very own podcaster-in-chief. Chris has been bringing together some of the most interesting characters in EMS for over four years now and the result is always informative and fun.

Why you should listen:

The huge challenge for any EMS podcaster is keeping the subject fresh and informative without being boring. Some EMS subjects can be boring with a capital “B”.  The EMS Garage consistently delivers that same magical energy that you find out in the EMS bay after a long shift. Clearly, Chris named his podcast with the idea of capturing that energy in mind. He hit the mark from the start and he continues to hit it today.

I’ve been on The Garage a half dozen times over the years. I can say from experience that the banter that you hear on the air is actually a bit toned down from the way the guests actually interact behind the scenes. The folks interacting on The Garage actually like talking with each other and they really are having a good time. They’ll teach you something about EMS and you’ll enjoy listening to them while they do it.

EMS1

Our first stop on our tour of online EMS resources is EMS1 and make no mistake, there’s a reason why they’re first. EMS1 got started in the online EMS business looking after the online presence of some of the industry’s top magazine’s before they decided to strike out on their own. That means that EMS1 has been in the online EMS business for a long, long time. It shows.

You might look at the EMS1 home page and think to yourself, “This looks a lot like several other big EMS websites.” You’re right. The key difference is that EMS1 isn’t copying anyone else. Inside the industry, they’re the design leaders. And you can see their influence everywhere. They also have their finger on the pulse of emergency services with a broader perspective than many folks who specialize in emergency medicine exclusively. EMS1 has two other popular websites for firefighters and police officers respectively.

Why you should use them:

EMS1 is the definitive online resource for relevant news and training information. Lots of EMS websites are packed full of information, but some sites have a strange idea about what’s really relevant to EMS folks. If you see it on EMS1, you can bet that it’s something you need to know. Beyond the standard news and training, EMS1 also provides an active forum where you can interact with other EMS providers and talk about whatever’s on your mind. There’s also a careers board if your looking for your next employment opportunity.

If you’re only going to use one EMS resources to keep you updated on what you need to know in the world of EMS, use EMS1.

Announcing System Protocols Apparel

I was recently walking around on the show floor at a popular EMS conference and I walked by one of those EMS t-shirt vendors. You know the ones. You’ve seen them before. A big booth filled with cheap, overpriced shirts covered with big hokey graphics, cartoonish lettering and tired EMS phrases like “Risking ours, saving yours!” I stood there looking over the wares and wondered to myself, “When is someone going to bring the EMS t-shirt into the 21st century?”

I mean really, it seemed like a major opportunity was being missed…and it was, until now.

Today I’m proud to tell you, right here on the front page of The Spot, that someone finally has made the EMS t-shirt cool.

I want to tell you about System Protocols.

I’m not talking about that dust covered book on the shelf at your EMS station (though you really should pick that up and read it too). I’m talking about the best thing to happen to EMS t-shirts since blended cotton. System Protocols takes the idea of the classic EMS t-shirt and throws it out the window. When I first saw these shirts I knew I had to get my hands on some of them. Once I had several of my very own shirts, I put them to the test. Then I called up the folks behind these shirts and begged them to let me tell my readers all about what they were doing.

What you get with System Protocols is a line of hand-drawn, unique, EMS inspired designs. These shirts look like they were created by a tattoo artist. What would it look like if you stuck a caduceus through a skull? What if the artist dropped the campy catch-phrases about running in while other people are running out and instead designed a shirt around Numbers 21:8? If you’d like to see, you need to check out these shirts.

If the designs look vaguely familiar to you, they might be. The folks behind System Protocols originally cut their clothing design teeth on a line of fire fighter clothing known as Black Helmet Apparel. System Protocols is the creative brainchild of the very same folks who design the Black Helmet line of clothing. Now they’ve taken their creative genius and applied it to the EMS lifestyle. The effect is perfect.

If you’re familiar with the quality and reputation of Black Helmet Apparel, you know what to expect from these shirts. If you haven’t heard about them, allow me to elaborate. These clothes are made with high quality fabrics that resist shrinking and fading. the graphics are printed using discharge printing which means that they don’t crack and they don’t fade after multiple washings.

Of course, you don’t have to believe me; you can try these shirts for yourself, risk free. System Protocols stands behind their clothing with a money back guarantee. If you aren’t fully satisfied with your purchase, you can return it and they will replace it or refund your money. Your choice. Now that I’ve worn these shirts around for a few months, I’m guessing that they don’t get very many of these garments shipped back to them.

If you’re done with the tired old EMS t-shirt, get in your closet and do some cleaning. Throw away those faded old shirts and make some room for your new stack of System Protocols t-shirts.

Calling for More Resources

If you’ve been working in EMS long enough, you know what it’s like to arrive on scene and realize that you need more resources. That can be an intimidating moment. Not only is there a major scene evolving in front of you but now you have to get on the radio and ask for help. How many people do you need? Do you require the help of special teams like tech rescue, hazmat, or heavy rescue? How many agencies should be involved? Do you want the police, the sheriff, the fire department, a helicopter or maybe just a bunch more ambulances? Should someone call the coroner?

Before you can make the call you need to know the nature and scope of the problem. You also need to know what resources are available to you. If you don’t know who’s out there…how can you decide if you need them?

As you’re wading through the ever growing mass of EMS knowledge out there, you can start to feel a lot like that EMT with a massive scene to manage and a radio in your hand. Where do you go for help? What’s available for you our there in the massive uncharted world of EMS websites?

For the next month, the EMT Spot is going to profile a bunch of the websites, blogs, podcasts and resources available to you on the internet. I’ve spent the last 3 years wading through the best and the worst that the internet has to offer emergency services and I’ve picked out a handful of the very best tools to help you stay informed, improve your knowledge, advance you skills and know what’s happening right now in the world of EMS.

You need resources? Let me be your guide.

EMS Week 2011

Happy EMS Week Everyone.

This year, the theme for EMS week is “Everyday Heroes”. Wondering what you might do to celebrate EMS week 2011? Here are ten ideas for your consideration:

1) Write a thank you to someone in EMS who has been a mentor or positive influence on you in your career. Let them know what they have meant to you and how their influence has changed you.

2) Spend a few moments and pay tribute to the 41 EMS responders who gave their lives at The World trade Center.

Continue Reading…

The March EMS Roundup

“It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold:  when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade.” – Charles Dickens

March at The EMT Spot was filled with travel and adventure. We launched our study guide and then got reacquainted with the outdoors. With such a big project behind me I couldn’t help but to go enjoy myself a bit. I personally stood on the continental divide and swam on a Florida beach in the same week. But we didn’t forget about you.

March started with the big announcement that, after a year of development, the National Registry Study Guide was finally here, and the new sales page did have a free practice test. Then we asked the question, “Should we let cops transport our patients?” I told you how to anticipate if your organization was ready to keep pace with change and I asked you to reconsider what you’re doing with the space between. Finally, I explained that you could actually take a private jet and go golf Pebble Beach and Spyglass for fifty bucks. (While giving to a wonderful cause.)

Continue Reading…

Play Pebble Beach and Spyglass for 50 Bucks

Click Image to Enlarge

How often do you get a chance to make a tax deductible donation to a fantastic cause and get an opportunity to fly on a private jet, stay at and exclusive resort and play two rounds of golf on two of Americas premier golf courses? If your raffle ticket is selected from the pot on July 11th, that’s exactly what you and three friends will be doing.

Right now you have an opportunity to purchase one of the 1,000 (limited) raffle tickets being sold by South Metro Professional Firefighters to benefit the families of Fallen Firefighters . The grand prize is one of the most outrageous prizes I have ever heard of for this type of promotion. I’m certain that I’ll have multiple tickets in the pot and I hope you will too.

As an added incentive, if the winner is chosen from among my EMT Spot readership, you can send me your photos and I’ll dedicate an entire post to your trip. I’d love to tell The EMT Spot readers about your plane ride, your golf experience and your entire trip. When you get back home your friends can drop by the blog and read all about your adventure.

I hope you’ll take part in this unique opportunity.

The February EMS Roundup

“February, when the days of winter seem endless and no amount of wistful recollecting can bring back any air of summer.”

- Shirley Jackson, American Writer

February brought cold to the Colorado air, like it did much of the United States. Things slowed here at The Spot as we approached the launch of the new website. Now that development of that project is on track, I turn my attention back to my loyal readers. Thank you for your patience. We kicked off February with the observation that too many kids get burned. Then we transitioned to the meatiest piece of the month; an exploration of trauma care over the first two minutes, two hours and two weeks. Many readers commented that this was one of their all time favorite offerings. Thank you. I’m glad you liked it. We paused briefly to consider the relationship between medicine and art before getting on with the big announcement. As March loomed large in the window, we launched The EMT Advantage. A website dedicated to helping EMTs pass the National Registry Exam.

Continue Reading…

Free National Registry Practice Test

I’ve been receiving a bunch of questions about The National Registry Study Guide. I know there are a bunch of folks who’d like to take a free practice test before they commit to buying an expensive online study guide.

Yes, you can take a free practice test right here:

Click here for the free samples page of The EMT Advantage.

Thanks for all the questions. I appreciate the interest in the new site and the new product line.