American Ambulance EMS Podcast

In today's episode, we discuss smoke inhalation, specifically the toxic gases carbon monoxide and cyanide. Cyanide is a toxic gas formed from the combustion of plastic and petroleum products, which is basically everything a modern home/building is made out of. We discuss the mainstays of prehospital treatment for smoke inhalation, Oxygen, as well as cyanide antidotes carried by prehospital pe...

Much attention has been paid to opioid abuse in recent years; yet, in the Central Valley, we can trace many drug related accidents and illness to Methamphetamine. Co-host and resident Toxicologist Dr. Armenian has a wealth of knowledge to give you the tools you need, from history, to clinical presentation, to treatment. It may change how you care for your next patient. Our guest this episode is De...

Please join us and Special guest Mato Parker from the EMS Agency have an evidence based discussion surrounding the quality improvement initiatives for the Central California EMS Agency (CCEMSA).   SHOW NOTES: Brown J, Rosengart M, et al. Not all prehospital time is equal, Influence of scene time on mortality J Trauma Acute Care Surg. 2016 Jul; 81(1): 93–100.   Nasser A, Nederpelt C, et al. Every M...

Non-accidental trauma is something no one wants to talk about, but it is something you should always be thinking about. In this episode, the team discusses specific findings that should make you suspicious, or at least think twice, while you are transporting a child. You can be the difference between a healthy child and a fatal case report. Thank you to our guest, Ben Garcia, American Ambulance&ap...

Diabetic complications are a common complaints faced by EMS daily. Tune in to hear paramedic Chris Zaczek share his story and listen to an evidence based discussion of hypoglycemia and other diabetic emergencies.

The Central Valley gets hot. Really hot. One of the most dangerous conditions that we see all of the time, yet tend to look over, is heat illness. This can range from mild exhaustion to lethal heat stroke. What’s the fastest way to cool a patient in the back of an ambulance? Our guest this episode is Paramedic Lonnie Taylor. Thank you Lonnie, for your incredible dedication and hard work each and e...

Trauma calls can be chaotic, and code situations can be the most stressful call EMS providers receive. What happens if a patient codes in the setting of trauma? What do you need to remember to do differently? What is going to save that person’s life? Our guest this episode is Paramedic Lonnie Taylor. Thank you Lonnie, for staying cool in the most tense situations and being someone we can aspire to...

Lightning strikes are not common; however, about 30% of those struck by lightning die and up to 70% have permanent disabilities. Within one hour of injury, respiratory failure and arrhythmias can be lethal. The teams gives you the practical knowledge you can use if you are ever in this unique situation. Our guest this episode is John-Mark Bergen. Thank you John-Mark, for sharing your experiences s...

As the opioid epidemic evolves, there is a rise in synthetic opioid intoxication such as with fentanyl and use of naloxone in the prehospital setting. In this episode, we talk about the CCEMSA protocol along with assessment and management of these patients, with special attention paid to naloxone dosing.