Drones have been a hot topic in emergency services for years. But, for some, it's still challenging to grasp how their capabilities outweigh the regulations and risks that come with them. In this episode, Paul DiCicco, EMS Chief, and Dominick Boyd, Chief of Staff, of Lee County Public Safety Department join the VFIS podcast along with Chris Rodgers, Industry Specialist, to discuss how they're utilizing drones in new and innovative ways to aid emergency response, help reduce risk to their members, and enhance their service to their community. Plus, learn about how they've addressed regulations and implemented technology to access drone data in real-time.
Too many first responders are struck and injured or killed while working along the roadways each year—making it crucial for emergency service organizations to implement policies, procedures, and tools to help protect their crew. In this episode, Wesley Attwood, Senior Investigator for NIOSH's Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program, and Chief Jordon Cramer, South Strabane Township Fire Department in Washington County, PA, join the podcast to discuss one risk mitigation tool for these incidents: truck-mounted attenuators (TMAs). Learn how these energy-absorbing cushions can be mounted to emergency vehicles to help absorb the impact of impending vehicles and better protect responders.
Did you know that vehicles striking fixed objects, like buildings or poles, as well as animals, including deer, are some of the most common claims that VFIS clients face? Adam Kinsey, Employee Compliance and Training Manager for St. Johnsville Ambulance, joins the podcast to discuss how emergency service organizations can utilize brush guards on their vehicles to help mitigate extensive damage during these incidents and reduce downtime for their fleet.
Does your EMS agency utilize whole blood for patients with severe blood loss? In this episode, EMS professionals from Sussex County EMS join VFIS podcast host Chris Rodgers to share how the use of whole blood, which includes red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, and plasma, has been beneficial for their pre-hospital care protocols. Let's dive into the concept of using whole blood, why it's needed, and how to implement it in your emergency service organization.
Every time your emergency service organization makes a leadership change, it's essential that change is represented across all of your organization's channels and entities. Members of our VFIS Risk Control and Education team joined the podcast for a roundtable discussion on the importance of previous leaders making a clean-break, best practices for leadership transitions, and tasks that new leaders should consider making a priority. Additional Resource - New Officers Checklist
Emergency services personnel and their vehicles are increasingly being struck by fellow motorists while responding to emergencies along roadways, resulting in significant damage, injuries, and even death. In this episode, we sat down with Fire Chief Dr. Hervy Kornegay of Belfast Volunteer Fire Department in Wayne County, NC to discuss how his department is utilizing an attenuator-equipped vehicle to help battle this issue and better protect their team.
Is your fire department looking for new or better ways to engage with your community? Chris Rodgers, Industry Specialist with VFIS, sat down with Fire Chief Dan Hoff from York Area United Fire & Rescue ("YAUFR") to learn about their Citizens Fire Academy—which could serve as a great inspiration for your team! This program gives adults a hands-on, behind-the-scenes view into what firefighters and EMS personnel do and face every day—plus, serves as a great tool for community risk reduction, volunteer recruitment, and community engagement in the process.
Junior Member Program Liability can be a large exposure for an Emergency Service Organization. In this episode, Rachel Breen and Greg Lidstrom of VFIS Underwriting and Dave Bradley of Client Risk Solutions discuss best practices for departments with a Junior Member Program.
In this episode we discuss the concept of modified response in emergency services, what it means and how to integrate it into your operations.
VFIS Education Specialist Nicole Dugan joins us to learn about Freedom House Ambulance—the first paramedic program in the US, which was fully-staffed by African Americans, and their notable impact on emergency services and beyond.
Responder Help is a one stop source for Fire and EMS resources. In this episode, Rick Gurba, Director of VFIS Education and Training, talks about updates made to the site and gives an overview of the resources it provides, including sample SOGs, industry news, training programs and more.
Proof of loss, points of contact and more – In this episode, Mike Leatherwood, Jeff Paul, and Greg Joy of Glatfelter Claims Management discuss items your organization should consider when preparing for a catastrophic event.
Join us as we talk with Donnie Woodyard, Executive Director of EMS Personnel Licensure, and discuss the details of the EMS Compact. The EMS Compact is being utilized by multiple states and allows for greater flexibility of movement of providers' licenses between states.
As first responder vehicles become more prevalent on our roads, incidents and collisions with these units are on the rise. Join Mike Baker and Dave Bradley of VFIS Client Risk Solutions as we discuss effective controls and best practices for safely operating these vital units.
The NFPA 1582 standard offers essential guidance for fire departments aiming to create tailored occupational medical programs that address the unique risks of firefighting. In this episode, members of VFIS Client Risk Solutions talk about the benefits of comprehensive medical assessments and discuss practical alternatives for agencies facing budget constraints.
We just released our 100th episode of the VFIS Don't Risk It! podcast—and wanted to let you know that we're truly honored that this platform gives us the opportunity to share meaningful conversations about the fire and EMS industry, safety best practices, industry news and more. You've downloaded 19,000 episodes—and listened to our discussions for over 285,000 hours—and we cannot thank you enough for taking the time to listen, learn and prioritize the safety of your team. Whether you're new to our podcast community or already have your notifications for new episodes turned on—we're so glad you're here. Join us for this special edition episode, where we dive into the inspiration, origin, and behind the scenes stories that have shaped the podcast series so far.
From ongoing driver training to fidelity practices, in our 100th episode, the VFIS Client Risk Solutions team shares the 5 most-common recommendations that we make during our on-site risk assessments of emergency service organizations (ESOs). Join us next week for a very special celebration of our 100th episode anniversary, where we reflect on the journey of the Don't Risk It! podcast so far.
In this episode we hear from members of VFIS Underwriting regarding the VFIS underwriting process and what they look for in a quality account.
It isn't easy to get everyone together for training classes on a regular basis. In this episode, Rick Gurba, Director of VFIS Education and Training, gives us an update on enhancements to the VFISu platform, including the new Instructor Portal, which allows agencies to distribute training content effectively without members having to attend the class in person.
Turnarounds, exit ramps, crossovers – when responding to a highway incident, there's always potential for something to go wrong. In this episode, Jake Hoover from VFIS Education and Training discusses some best practices for responding to scenes on highways with limited access.