Don't Risk It! Podcast

ResponderHelp.com is a valuable resource for emergency personnel, developed and administered by VFIS and offering content sourced from a broad variety of industry specialists. The website offers a robust variety of safety-related resources in response to the needs and questions of emergency responders everywhere. ETC Technical Writer and Site Administrator Rick Gurba talks with us about some of th...

Patient handling is a complex task that emergency service organizations (ESOs) undertake every day. However, the basics of patient handling are often taken for granted and associated incidents can result in injury and damage to the responder, the patient and the organization. Sr. Risk Control Representative Dave Bradley joins the program to discuss how poor patient handling impacts organizations a...

Is your emergency service organization getting the most out of your current driver monitoring program? In this episode, we join VFIS Client Risk Solutions Director Mike Baker to discuss how driver monitoring systems can help improve your organization's fleet safety and impact overall maintenance costs. We'll explore how the data generated by these systems can provide timely alerts of risky driving...

When's the last time your department updated its severe weather plan? This week on Don't Risk It! we sit down with Chief Woody Sullivan from Pender EMS & Fire of North Carolina to discuss the importance of being proactive, not reactive, in storm response.

Fatigue impacts personal health as well as a responder's ability to perform key functions including patient care, incident command and vehicle operations. In this episode we revisit the discussion of fatigue management in EMS operations with Fire Chief Loy Senter and Battalion Chief Kevin Moran from Chesterfield Fire & EMS. Chief Senter and Chief Moran join us to talk about the details of an inter...

Theft of emergency vehicles, including the specialized medical equipment and medications onboard, can be costly; and in some cases, losses of this nature have resulted in catastrophic injuries or fatalities. Furthermore, vehicle and equipment theft can occur anywhere. VFIS Industry Specialist Blair Tyndall provides some considerations for securing vehicles while away from and at the station.

Sexual harassment continues to be a hot topic for business and organizations. What can EMS and fire departments do differently now to address and prevent sexual harassment in the workplace? How can ESOs protect personnel from unwanted attention? Mike McCall, President of MJ Consulting, sits down to discuss what departments can do to foster safe and positive work environments. Join us for a special...

Sexual harassment continues to be a hot topic for business and organizations. What can EMS and fire departments do differently now to address and prevent sexual harassment in the workplace? How can ESOs protect personnel from unwanted attention? Mike McCall, President of MJ Consulting, sits down to discuss what departments can do to foster safe and positive work environments. Join us for a special...

Unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), commonly referred to as drones, have become favored tools among emergency service organizations (ESOs) for a variety of tasks. A UAS program can be a vital asset to an ESO. It's recommended that ESOs develop a UAS protocols before purchasing a UAS platform, as the intended use for the drone may impact selection. Chris Rodgers discusses some things to consider when...

Emergency vehicle drivers have in their care, custody and control most of the major assets possessed by an organization: the vehicle, portable equipment and personnel. With so much, literally riding in their hands, all drivers need to be trained to understand the dynamics associated with operating an emergency vehicle. Additionally, all drivers need to have continuing and on-going refresher traini...

Most volunteer emergency service departments rely heavily on the ability of their members to respond to calls, either to the scene or the station, in their personal vehicles. While this is essential to the organization's ability to react to emergencies in a timely manner, there are also inherent risks. Blair Tyndall, Industry Specialist with VFIS Client Risk Solutions joins the program to identify...

The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) works to honor firefighters who have fallen in the line of duty, as well as support their surviving families, communities and crews. We sit down with NFFF's executive director, Chief Ronald Siarnicki to discuss the organization's history, mission and outreach initiatives.

Emergency responders are utilizing social media at a rapid pace. EMS employees' usage, written content, images and videos on social media platforms can create a multitude of problems for them and the entities they work for. Mike McCall joins Don't Risk It! in this two-part program to highlight some of the potential challenges facing ESOs with regard to electronic devices and social media use.

Emergency responders are utilizing social media at a rapid pace. EMS employees' usage, written content, images and videos on social media platforms can create a multitude of problems for them and the entities they work for. Mike McCall joins Don't Risk It! in this two-part program to highlight some of the potential challenges facing ESOs with regard to electronic devices and social media use.

Sr. Vice President of VFIS Client Risk Solutions Scott Harkins joins the program to discuss firefighting foam concerns associated with per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). PFAS pose a hazard to the environment and to the people that use them. Scott will discuss steps to help mitigate these exposures while helping protect emergency responders and the environment.

Risk Control for Mid-Level Managers is a program developed by John Kottmyer, Director of VFIS Training Programs, and designed to re-introduce the emergency services officer (supervisor, FTO, etc.) to risk control and how it plays an integral part in safety as well as overall operations. We visit with John Kottmyer to review some of the program details including risk management, roles, responsibili...

Fatigue impacts personal health as well as a responder's ability to perform key functions including patient care, incident command and vehicle operations. Efforts to move to shorter shifts continue to face significant resistance while the number of EMS agencies using 24- and 48-hour shifts continues to rise. Dave Bradley details the potential hazards associated with fatigued drivers and provides s...

Distracted driving is a significant factor in vehicle accidents and emergency services organizations (ESOs) are not immune to these incidents. Historically, emergency vehicles have had a degree of distraction built in by design with two-way radio traffic, sirens, air horns and flashing lights. Blair Tyndall discusses the origin of the sterile cab concept and how it can potentially reduce distracte...

Introducing the Don't Risk It! Podcast We're excited to announce the launch of VFIS's new podcast, Don't Risk It !  Don't Risk It is designed to help emergency service organizations better protect their responders, equipment and clients by covering a range of safety-related topics. Each episode will be available on multiple streaming and podcast platforms – making it a fast, easy way to brush up o...