You're a Catastrophe Part 2 (MCI & ICS)

You're a Catastrophe Part 2 (MCI & ICS)

You're a Catastrophe Part 2 (MCI & ICS) In this episode of RideAlong: EMT School, we continue our discussion on mass casualty incidents and the Incident Command System. After covering primary triage in Part 1, we dig into what defines an MCI, how disaster plans are built, and why ICS exists to bring order to chaotic scenes. We break down single versus unified command, the role of the incident commander, span of control, EMS branch responsibilities, secondary triage, treatment areas, transportation, hospital notifications, and the importance of keeping ambulances moving during a large-scale incident. For Tools of the Trade, we look at triage tags and how they help responders prioritize, document, and track patients during an MCI. -------------------------------------- Episode Breakdown 00:00 Intro 05:11 What is a mass casualty incident? 07:43 Disaster plans and tabletop exercises 15:08 Examples of MCIs 19:37 Psychological stress during MCIs 30:00 Incident Command System 34:02 Command, operations, planning, logistics, and finance 39:24 Incident command 43:51 Span of control 46:14 Single command versus unified command 48:21 Section chiefs and branch directors 51:11 Incident commander responsibilities 01:02:50 Chain of command and freelancing 01:08:46 EMS roles within ICS 01:15:11 Triage supervisors and secondary triage 01:25:04 Treatment supervisors 01:31:27 Transportation and hospital distribution 01:39:12 Hospital notifications 01:54:25 Tools of the Trade: Triage tags 02:08:00 Test prep 02:21:40 Closing thoughts -------------------------------------- ⚠️ Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and storytelling purposes only. It is not medical advice or official EMT training. Always follow your accredited instructors and local protocols. -------------------------------------- 🚑 RideAlong: EMT School Links https://www.RideAlongEMTSchool.com [https://www.RideAlongEMTSchool.com]

Youre a Catastrophe Part 1 (Primary Triage)

In this episode, Mike, Max, and Jonathan kick off the first half of their MCI and ICS discussion, focusing on primary triage. After a brief note about technical difficulties that cut the episode short, the crew explores what makes a mass-casualty incident so overwhelming, how incident command helps organize chaos, and why triage is one of the most important skills EMS providers need when resources are limited. The Medical Term of the Week is primary triage, including how patients are sorted during an MCI, what the red/yellow/green/black categories mean, and the difference between START and SALT triage. The episode also touches on scene organization, casualty collection points, lifesaving interventions, and how different systems may use different triage methods depending on local protocol. -------------------------------------- Check out our Sponsor! www.SAMmedical.com [http://www.SAMmedical.com] -------------------------------------- Episode Breakdown 00:00 – Intro 00:30 – A note from Mike about the shortened episode 01:18 – Welcome to Episode 46: You’re a Catastrophe 02:37 – MCI and ICS overview 05:26 – SAM Medical shoutout 07:49 – EMS updates and staying sharp 11:34 – EMS 20/20, mental rehearsal, and avoiding burnout 17:28 – Getting into incident command and MCI 18:20 – Why MCI and ICS are linked 20:43 – The origins and scalability of ICS 24:38 – Medical Term of the Week: Primary Triage 25:19 – What triage means and why it matters 27:21 – Triage priority categories: red, yellow, green, and black 30:23 – Triage tags and reassessment 33:37 – START triage explained 36:32 – RPM: respirations, perfusion, mental status 41:10 – SALT triage explained 45:28 – Lifesaving interventions during triage 48:00 – START vs. SALT in practice 49:36 – MARCH assessments and active threat considerations 52:29 – Closing note and preview of Part 2 -------------------------------------- ⚠️ Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and storytelling purposes only. It is not medical advice or official EMT training. Always follow your accredited instructors and local protocols. -------------------------------------- 🚑 RideAlong: EMT School Links https://www.RideAlongEMTSchool.com [https://www.RideAlongEMTSchool.com]

Spill Em All (Hazmat)

This week on RideAlong: EMT School, Mike, Max, and Jonathan dive into HazMat — hazardous materials, scene safety, and why the best first move is often staying far away from whatever is leaking, burning, spilling, or glowing. The Medical Term of the Week is zones, covering the hot zone, warm zone, and cold zone, and how those operational areas help protect responders, patients, and everyone else on scene. Then the crew gets into what actually counts as a hazardous materials incident, how EMTs fit into the response, training levels, DOT hazard classes, placards, the NFPA 704 diamond, decontamination, and the importance of identifying substances from a safe distance. For Tools of the Trade, Max walks through the Emergency Response Guidebook, or ERG, and why it is one of the key references for HazMat awareness. The episode wraps up with HazMat-focused test prep and the reminder that EMTs do not need to be heroes in the hot zone — they need to recognize the hazard, isolate the area, call the right resources, and stay safe. -------------------------------------- VISIT OUR SPONSOR: https://www.MicroDotCS.com [https://www.MicroDotCS.com] -------------------------------------- Episode Breakdown 00:00 — Intro 06:54 — Welcome to “Spill Em All” 07:56 — RideAlong updates 18:03 — Sponsor: MicroDot Glucose Monitor Kit 19:30 — Medical Term of the Week: Zones 30:18 — Main Topic: What is HazMat? 39:26 — HazMat training levels and HAZWOPER 49:49 — Scene safety and keeping the public out 59:52 — Identifying hazardous materials safely 01:01:48 — Placards and the NFPA 704 diamond 01:16:09 — DOT hazard classes 01:21:53 — Introducing the Emergency Response Guidebook 01:24:27 — Decontamination and patient care 01:46:28 — Tool of the Trade: ERG 01:59:59 — Student Test Prep 02:11:29 — Wrap-up -------------------------------------- ⚠️ Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and storytelling purposes only. It is not medical advice or official EMT training. Always follow your accredited instructors and local protocols. -------------------------------------- 🚑 RideAlong: EMT School Links https://www.RideAlongEMTSchool.com [https://www.RideAlongEMTSchool.com]

Close The Doors and I am Gone (EMS Operations - Patient Transport)

Close The Doors and I am Gone (EMS Operations - Patient Transport) In this episode, we close the doors and hit the road for the final part of our EMS Operations series: patient transport. Mike, Max, and Jonathan break down what happens after the patient is loaded into the ambulance, including packaging, stretcher safety, provider safety in the patient compartment, reassessment, hospital notification, verbal reports, transfer of care, documentation, cleaning, restocking, and getting the unit ready for the next call. We also talk through the importance of continuity of care, avoiding patient abandonment, and why the little things, like linens, sheets, and blankets, matter on every single transport. -------------------------------------- Episode Breakdown 00:00 – Intro 08:02 – Medical Term of the Week: Transfer of Care 29:20 – EMS Operations: Getting the Patient Into the Ambulance 52:34 – Provider Safety in the Patient Compartment 1:00:13 – Continuing Care During Transport 1:18:08 – Talking With the Patient During Transport 1:34:14 – Hospital Notifications and Radio Reports 1:48:51 – Pediatric Transport Considerations 1:55:32 – Arriving at the Hospital 2:04:49 – Verbal Report, Signatures, and Transfer of Care 2:10:26 – Terminating the Call and Getting Back in Service 2:30:55 – Tools of the Trade: Linens, Sheets, and Blankets 2:40:12 – Student Test Prep 2:57:17 – Wrap-Up -------------------------------------- ⚠️ Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and storytelling purposes only. It is not medical advice or official EMT training. Always follow your accredited instructors and local protocols. -------------------------------------- 🚑 RideAlong: EMT School Links https://www.RideAlongEMTSchool.com [https://www.RideAlongEMTSchool.com]

No Stop Signs Speed Limits (EMS Operations - Responding)

This week on RideAlong: EMT School, we’re back in EMS Operations and moving from “getting ready” to actually getting out the door. In “No Stop Signs, Speed Limits,” Mike, Max, and Jonathan talk through the response phase of EMS calls: dispatch information, Code 3 responses, lights and sirens, ambulance operations, safe driving, navigation, highway scenes, and what it really means to respond quickly without becoming part of the problem. We also break down Code 3 as the Medical Term of the Week, look at when lights and sirens may or may not be appropriate, and talk through the real-world judgment involved in upgrading or downgrading a response. Then, for Tools of the Trade, we light up a classic: road flares — what they do, how they work, and why they still matter on roadway scenes. -------------------------------------- For all of your EMS supply needs, vist this episode's sponsor: https://www.PennCare.net [https://www.PennCare.net] -------------------------------------- Episode Breakdown 00:00 – Intro, EMS Week, and Penn Care sponsorship 08:37 – Episode setup: EMS Operations — Responding 13:55 – Medical Term of the Week: Code 3 34:05 – Dispatch, 911 calls, CAD, and emergency medical dispatch 48:49 – Sample call scenario: dog bite response 50:41 – Operating the ambulance: readiness, impairment, mindset, and due regard 01:00:42 – Lights, sirens, horns, and emergency warning devices 01:15:18 – Speed, safety, intersections, seatbelts, and multiple-unit responses 01:26:06 – Traffic, weather, construction, rail crossings, bridges, and school buses 01:34:12 – Navigation, GPS, maps, and knowing your first due 01:45:52 – Highway incidents, scene safety, blocking, PPE, and ambulance placement 02:09:46 – Tools of the Trade: Road Flares 02:23:32 – Student tip / test prep questions 02:39:25 – Wrap-up -------------------------------------- ⚠️ Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and storytelling purposes only. It is not medical advice or official EMT training. Always follow your accredited instructors and local protocols. -------------------------------------- 🚑 RideAlong: EMT School Links https://www.RideAlongEMTSchool.com [https://www.RideAlongEMTSchool.com]