38 episodes

Smart flight crews know their safety depends on teamwork. Emergency Medical Services Flight Safety Network Podcast is about the people who keep air medical flights safe - and how to do what they do, even if you have no experience. Flight Safety Network is the EMT who arrives first on scene of an accident. The 911 dispatcher who takes the initial call for help. The flight communication specialist who launches the air medical helicopter. The firefighter who sets up and secures a landing zone for the inbound helicopter. The flight nurse, paramedic and pilot on board the inbound aircraft. The hospital security guard who helps off-load a patient underneath turning rotors. The emergency department staff who receives the patient from the flight team. The mechanic who keeps the helicopters and airplanes flying safely. And of course, Flight Safety Network is the family & friends who support these everyday heroes. People are the 'net' in Flight Safety Network. People are the difference.

The Best Job Ever by Troy Shaffer @ EMS Flight Safety Network Troy Shaffer

    • Business
    • 4.9 • 18 Ratings

Smart flight crews know their safety depends on teamwork. Emergency Medical Services Flight Safety Network Podcast is about the people who keep air medical flights safe - and how to do what they do, even if you have no experience. Flight Safety Network is the EMT who arrives first on scene of an accident. The 911 dispatcher who takes the initial call for help. The flight communication specialist who launches the air medical helicopter. The firefighter who sets up and secures a landing zone for the inbound helicopter. The flight nurse, paramedic and pilot on board the inbound aircraft. The hospital security guard who helps off-load a patient underneath turning rotors. The emergency department staff who receives the patient from the flight team. The mechanic who keeps the helicopters and airplanes flying safely. And of course, Flight Safety Network is the family & friends who support these everyday heroes. People are the 'net' in Flight Safety Network. People are the difference.

    Announcing The “Fly Like A Girl” Breast Cancer Awareness 5th Anniversary Design

    Announcing The “Fly Like A Girl” Breast Cancer Awareness 5th Anniversary Design

    EMS Flight Safety Network, the people who keep air medical safe, releases its 5th Anniversary breast cancer awareness “Fly LIke A Girl” design on October 1, 2017. Further information can be found at http://flightsafetynet.com.
     
    Announcing The “Fly Like A Girl” Breast Cancer Awareness 5th Anniversary Design
    EMS Flight Safety Network is scheduled to release its 2017 breast cancer awareness design on Sunday, October 1st. Every year since 2012, EMS Flight Safety Network has released a new breast cancer awareness design, which fans and consumers within Emergency Medical Services, Air Medical, Fire and Police services anxiously await each year. This year marks the fifth anniversary of the Fly-Like-A-Girl breast cancer awareness campaign.
    Here are five little known facts about the 2017 Fly-Like-A-Girl design:
    The idea for creating the Fly-Like-A-Girl Breast Cancer Awareness T-shirts and Hoodies came about after a local paramedic lost her battle with breast cancer. Everyone who knew this paramedic, loved this paramedic. She was a great mother, sister, daughter, educator and caregiver. At the request of her family, her name remains anonymous, but her memory honors all who continue the fight against breast cancer. Each year, a new Fly-Like-A-Girl design symbolizes the continued fight. The Fly-Like-A-Girl campaign brings attention and awareness to a treatable and curable disease when discovered in early stages. EMS and air medical crews understand the benefits of early detection and diagnosis better than most. As professional caregivers, they see first-hand the lives early detection saves.
    A new design is released every year with input from the EMS Flight Safety Network community, a network of professionals that boasts a followership in excess of 216,000 members. EMS Flight Safety Network is the people who keep air medical safe. The community is large in numbers, but still maintains a family-like focus and concern for fellow EMS, Fire, Police and air medical professionals. The annual Fly-Like-A-Girl breast cancer awareness campaign is just one example.
    The Fly-Like-A-Girl designs almost didn’t see the light of day. EMS Flight Safety Network almost dissolved in 2009, a year after the air medical industry experienced the highest accident record in its history. A team focus beyond flight nurses, flight medics and EMS pilots (EMS flight crews) is what kept it alive. EMS Flight Safety Network grew bigger than the aircrews who staff the helicopters and airplanes. It now includes EMTs, paramedics, nurses, firefighters, registered respiratory therapists, dispatchers, mechanics, pilots, flight communication specialists, hospital security, trauma doctors, specialty transport teams, as well as the family and friends who support these professionals. This extended family of caregivers and lifesavers is the reason EMS Flight Safety Network continues today.
    EMS Flight Safety Network is different than other businesses and services in the Emergency Medical Services space. The Fly-Like-A-Girl breast cancer awareness design is the only breast cancer awareness design made especially for EMS, rescue services and the people who support these professionals.
    The Fly-Like-A Girl Breast Cancer Awareness T-shirts and Hoodies will be released as part of EMS Flight Safety Network’s greater plans to get everyone to “Fly-Like-A-Girl.” It’s hoped this goal will be achieved by 2025.

    • 7 min
    Why EMS Stands for The Flag

    Why EMS Stands for The Flag

    America is the best country in the world.
    “Proud to be an American” is more than a catchy slogan.
    It’s our way of life.
    If you or someone you love serves our country in the armed forces, you get my instant respect and gratitude. No discussion or debate required.
    And here’s the best part: I believe most Americans share this viewpoint. Most Americans respect and appreciate those who serve now, and those who served our country in the past.
    Why NFL Stars Should Get Off Their Knees Why should National Football League (NFL) players get off their knees and stand for the national anthem?
    Because standing is about respect.
    Standing for the national anthem is about showing respect for those who made the ultimate sacrifice and gave their lives for this country. It’s really that simple.
    Stand to show respect.
    NFL players who kneel before football games do so to draw attention to racism in America. But they disrespect everyone who ever served in uniform by doing so.
    NFL players don’t see it that way, because they don’t really see anything through the same lens as regular people. NFL players believe in their cause and believe it’s their right to kneel if they choose.
    And you know what? They’re absolutely right. It is their right to kneel.
    The constitution and first amendment guarantees this right to every American. The irony is the service men and women who died to give them this right — is the group they’re disrespecting the most, by kneeling. That’s the rub, or at least part of it.
    The bigger rub is how NFL players are completely out of touch with average Americans. How NFL players believe their opinions are somehow more valuable than the average American’s opinion.
    Newsflash: the average American thinks football players should stick to playing football. The average American thinks NFL players are overpaid and out of touch with reality. The average American thinks kneeling during the national anthem (for almost any reason) is unpatriotic.
    But none of that explains why kneeling during the national anthem is stupid.
    Why Kneeling is Stupid Is shining a spotlight on racism important?
    Yes, of course.
    But bringing attention to racism by disrespecting every American who ever served or died for our country, is a stupid way to do it.
    But don’t take my word for it. How do you know kneeling during the national anthem is a stupid way to draw attention to racism? Easy answer. The NFL already proved it.
    Colin Kaepernick, a free agent quarterback famous for kneeling before football games, can no longer find work in the NFL.
    Why can’t Colin Kaepernick find work? Why won’t an NFL team hire him?
    The answer has nothing to do with Colin’s skills as a quarterback. The answer is that Colin Kaepernick is damaged goods. No team will take him because of all the bad publicity that comes with hiring him.
    The Cleveland Browns also proved how stupid it is to kneel during the national anthem. You can read how Paramedic and Police unions boycotted the Cleveland Browns opener for kneeling during the national anthem.
    Watch the NFL Take a Stand This Week If you’re bothered by all of this, stand-by for a little poetic justice to come your way this week.
    The Pittsburgh Steelers forced the issue center stage.
    The entire Pittsburgh Steelers team, except for Alejandro Villanueva, ex-Army Ranger, stayed in the locker room for the national anthem before their game with Chicago.
    The backlash was quick and severe.
    The American public is irritated and threatening to boycott the NFL. Now the NFL commissioner and team owners really have no choice but to start talking about the issue publicly. Even the president commented about the owner’s lack of control over the situation.
    Stand-by to see the NFL commissioner and team owners ‘patriotism’ shine through like no other week this season. Now that their revenue is threatened, you’ll see a whole new appreciation for those who served.
    Why EMS Stands for The Fl

    • 7 min
    How To Be An Amazing EMS Mentor

    How To Be An Amazing EMS Mentor

    Let’s be honest.
    We all want an awesome mentor.
    Someone to take us by the hand and show us a better way.
    Someone to save us time, money and frustration. How awesome would that be, right?
     Here’s the thing.
    If you’re good at what you do, sooner or later the day will come when someone – an employee, co-worker, student or acquaintance – comes to you for advice.
    Someone who is looking for a mentor, and to them, you fit the bill perfectly.
    Is Mentoring Worth It Is mentoring worth the effort?
    In a word, yes.
    But, it’s a very personal decision. You must decide how much value mentoring has to you.
    After watching hundreds of professional flight crews mentor wannabe flight crews, I can tell you with certainty it’s a pretty great experience for all involved. A lot of times the mentor benefits as much or more than the mentee.
    Why?
    Because the feeling you get when someone tells you they’re “living their dream” thanks to your help, is pretty incredible. It’s right up there with someone thanking you for saving their life.
    If you’re EMS, you know exactly what I’m talking about.
    So how do you do it? And how do you get good at it?
    How do you become the amazing mentor you would want to have for yourself?
    Here are 10 tips to get you started:
    10 Tips for Becoming An Amazing EMS Mentor 1. Be a giver It kind of goes without saying, but I’ll say it anyways.
    Being a mentor is about being a giver. And it’s also about giving for the right reasons.
    Know your priorities up front. Are you mentoring for the right reasons? If your only motivation is yourself, stop. Mentoring isn’t about you.
    Don’t trap someone and force your personal story upon them.
    Mentoring is about helping others for the right reasons. Give more than you get.
    2. Give Advice Beyond Work Think how shallow your life would be if all you did was work. If your biggest source of happiness was work.
    Think how much you would be missing. I know from personal experience it’s not fulfilling. You can read 10 Warning Signs of Aviation Induced Divorce Syndrome (AIDS)here.
    The point is to give advice beyond work. Get to know the whole person. Find out their hopes, dreams, plans and schemes beyond work.
    If you help a person advance their EMS or Air medical career and they’re still unhappy, how much did your really help them?
    3. Set Expectations Up Front Set expectations together in the very beginning.
    Until you know exactly what a person wants to achieve, and how they hope to achieve it, you really can’t help them.
    It’s important to sit down and go over expectations, especially if you’re just meeting each other or have spent little time together.
    This scenario happens often with EMS. For example, a student aspires to become a paramedic and wants your experienced paramedic advice on how to do it.
    You might be wondering if they want to work for your company, or if they’re just looking for advice on how to become a paramedic anywhere. It’s the type of thing you want to ask up front.
    4. Approach Each Mentorship Differently People are different. As a mentor, you need to adapt your style to what works best for the person seeking your advice. Again, remember that it’s not about you.
    It’s about getting results for the person you’re helping.
    Remind yourself what worked best for you, or the last person you mentored, may or may not work today.
    We see examples of this in EMS Flight Safety Network all the time. What got one person hired as a flight medic a year ago, may or may not help a person who aspires to fly today. They’re two different people and a lot can change in a year.
    5. Mentor with Passion The greatest of mentors inspire their mentees and become living examples to emulate.
    How do they do it?
    They do it by exuding a genuine passion for their work. Get excited about EMS and what you do. Passion is contagious.
    Remind yourself of why you chose an EMS career. Remind yourself it was a good decision then, and it

    • 11 min
    The Truth About Medical Helicopter Crashes

    The Truth About Medical Helicopter Crashes

    —And Why Truth Is So Hard To Find Why do so many medical helicopters crash?
    It’s a fair question.
    One that begs an answer.
     
    If you’re reading this, you’ve probably asked yourself this very question, right?
    You’re a smart person, and you know most air medical crews are smart too.
    Common sense tells you these professionals are taking every safety precaution possible.
    Nobody rational goes to work thinking it’s their last day alive. No flight crews get into medical helicopters unless they believe it’s safe.
    Yet…
    Medical helicopters keep crashing.
    Why?
    Before I share the EMS Flight Safety Network opinion on why medical helicopters crash, I want to address some of the arguments (ones I know you’ll hear), about why medical helicopters crash.
    Stating The Obvious About Medical Helicopter Crashes It should go without saying, but I’m going to say it anyway.
    The goal of all discussion regarding medical helicopter crashes is to prevent future crashes. Period.
    Sadly, there are places on the internet where other agendas win out. That’s the reason I’m stating the obvious. Understandably, there’s a ton of emotion attached to every EMS helicopter crash.
    When highly trained professionals risk their lives to help others, and then lose their lives in the process, it’s tragic and emotional.
    No doubt about it.
    That’s one of the reasons it’s important to talk about medical helicopter crashes. The best way to honor the memory of lost air medical crews is by taking personal responsibility for making air medical better and safer. Burying your head in the sand will not bring lost crews back to life, or protect future crews.
    My Best Advice On Medical Helicopter Crashes Answers about why medical helicopters crash are hard to find. Why?
    Because truth is a tough demon to fight. It’s much easier to hide behind emotion than to address real issues.
    When it comes to answers about why medical helicopters crash, my best advice is to constantly remind yourself that every health system, helicopter company and association has an agenda.
    An agenda bigger than any one helicopter crash.
    All have biases and preconceived ideas about what’s most important when it comes to medical helicopter safety.
    These biases influence how they share information about medical helicopter crashes, and what actions they take to prevent them. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. But it is something you definitely want to keep top of mind.
    Never forget that your best advocate for crew safety is you.
    Don’t be fooled by the “smoke and mirrors” of statistics from government agencies with unlimited budgets, time and people – who coincidentally, NEVER fly on medical helicopters.
    If you’re professional air medical crew, wannabe crew or just someone who loves helicopters: remember that if something just plain feels wrong, it doesn’t matter how many people try to convince you it’s a new and better way. It’s still just plain wrong.
    It really is that simple.
    The Problem With Unlimited Information You’ve probably heard the cliche about opinions and a-holes, right?
    Well, there’s some truth to it.
    Everyone has an opinion about why medical helicopters crash, but very few of these opinions have any basis in reality. Even fewer opinions come from people who have ever flown in medical helicopters.
    This creates some practical challenges.
    Think of it this way: you can’t lose weight reading a book about weight loss, right? You have to actually take action and DO the steps required to lose weight. Everyone gets this. But there are still thousands of weight-loss diets and libraries full of books about the best ways to lose weight.
    And here’s the kicker: when it’s all said and done – move more, eat less – never really changes when it comes to weight loss.
    Information about Medical helicopters works the same way.
    You can find all kinds of information about medical helicopter crashes, but very little of that inf

    • 13 min
    How Air Crews Can Show Respect For Ground Crews

    How Air Crews Can Show Respect For Ground Crews

    How We Treat Our Own Makes A Difference

    • 9 min
    7 Tips To Manage A Crappy EMS Boss

    7 Tips To Manage A Crappy EMS Boss

    Don't Waste Time. Life Is Too Short

    • 9 min

Customer Reviews

4.9 out of 5
18 Ratings

18 Ratings

Paige Embry ,

One of my favorite podcasts!!

As an aspiring future flight nurse I have found this podcast to not only be entertaining and exciting but also very informative and educational. I love hearing the personal stories and truths to this profession and it has turned into a daily listen for me on my way to work!

surferj ,

A fantastic and in depth look at a wonderful career

As an up and coming flight nurse, I have found this podcast to be incredibly informative and inspiring. I have had the opportunity to do some fly alongs with University of Utah Air Med and, from my limited view, these podcasts seem spot on! I love how they promote a strong safety culture and how they build up the listener. Troy, thank you for your time and your strong work! Please keep these podcasts coming!

truckiefyrman ,

A GREAT TOOL FOR THE ASPIRING FLIGHT MEDIC!

Thank you Troy for sharing your knowledge and insight into a great career path. This podcast gave me the tools to get the extra edge I needed to nail my first flight medic interview. I would completely recommend this podcast to anyone looking to enter the field of flight medicine.

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