RideAlong: EMT School

Carter Rowe - Our Lieutenant (RideAlong Interview)

In this special interview episode, Mike and Max sit down with one of the most influential people in their EMS journey: Carter Rowe, EMT, firefighter, EMS lieutenant, and leader of the volunteer program at Chalfont Regional EMS. Carter shares how he entered EMS as a teenager, progressed from interfacility transport and critical care work into busy 911 systems, and eventually found himself leading and developing new providers. The conversation explores the value of starting in IFT, the differences between Pennsylvania and New Jersey EMS systems, leading paramedics as a BLS provider, and what students should look for when choosing an agency. They also discuss EMS culture, work ethic, mentorship, mental health, maintaining a life outside emergency services, and why credentials alone do not equal competency. Along the way, Mike and Max finally reveal the identity of the lieutenant they have referenced throughout the show—and celebrate becoming employees at the organization where they began as volunteers. -------------------------------------- Check out Carter! https://www.linkedin.com/in/carter-rowe-96313334a/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/carter-rowe-96313334a/] https://www.instagram.com/carestartswithcharacter [https://www.instagram.com/carestartswithcharacter] -------------------------------------- Episode Breakdown 00:00 – Intro and introducing Lieutenant Carter Rowe 02:54 – Mike and Max reveal their EMS service and employment news 05:09 – Leadership, mentorship, and Carter’s surprisingly young age 08:34 – Care Starts with Character 10:07 – Carter’s path into fire and EMS 14:05 – Starting young and learning through interfacility transport 19:04 – Fire versus EMS as a career 20:09 – Working in Trenton and the New Jersey EMS model 25:53 – Moving from provider to EMS leadership 27:50 – Building and managing a volunteer program 34:11 – Leading paramedics as a BLS provider 38:27 – Carter’s future education and career goals 40:06 – What new EMTs should look for in an agency 43:21 – Red flags, equipment, and organizations that invest in their people 48:26 – How students can stand out during clinical time 51:00 – Communication, patient interaction, and work ethic 55:31 – Finding purpose as an EMS provider and leader 58:08 – Motorcycles, risk, and living beyond the job 1:03:02 – Mental health and the cumulative effects of EMS 1:09:27 – Burnout, balance, friendships, and management 1:15:05 – The Great Uncrustables Debate 1:18:25 – Closing advice: Credentials do not equal competency -------------------------------------- ⚠️ 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]

The Day That Never Comes (Terrorist Operations)

This week on RideAlong: EMT School, we’re talking terrorism, active threats, and what EMTs need to understand when an emergency scene may still be dangerous. Mike, Max, and Jonathan walk through domestic and international terrorism, CBRNE incidents, warning signs, responder safety, secondary devices, mass-casualty considerations, decontamination, and the EMT’s role during some of the most complex incidents imaginable. We also talk through recent experiences on the ambulance, why motivation matters less than the hazards facing responders, how terrorism overlaps with HazMat and MCI operations, and why tactical medicine and additional training can help providers prepare for low-frequency, high-consequence events. -------------------------------------- Check out our Sponsor, Iron Forge Consulting Group https://www.facebook.com/IronForgeCG/ [https://www.facebook.com/IronForgeCG/] -------------------------------------- Episode Breakdown 00:00 – Intro and EMS story time 23:50 – Medical Term of the Week: Terrorism 39:41 – CBRNE incidents and types of terrorist attacks 1:15:08 – Recognizing warning signs with OTTO 1:29:02 – TRACEM-P harms 1:39:03 – Time, distance, and shielding 1:48:06 – EMS strategy, tactics, and responder safety 2:05:30 – Emerging threats and tactical medicine 2:10:47 – Tools of the Trade: Ballistic Protection 2:28:46 – Test Prep: DKA, airway sounds, and anaphylaxis -------------------------------------- ⚠️ 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]

Vanquished Foes of the Metal (Highway Ops and Extrication)

This week on Ride Along: EMT School, we’re talking highway operations, vehicle extrication, and what EMTs need to understand when patient care moves into the wreckage. Mike, Max, and Jonathan walk through disentanglement, scene safety, highway blocking, vehicle hazards, patient access, PPE, electrical dangers, vehicle stabilization, and the EMT’s role while rescue crews work to free a trapped patient. We also talk through real-world ambulance navigation mistakes, fair standby EMS, the difference between extrication and disentanglement, and why this is one of those topics where hands-on training matters. -------------------------------------- Episode Breakdown 00:00 – Intro and EMS story time 33:28 – Medical Term of the Week: Disentanglement 49:17 – Highway operations and roadway scene safety 58:49 – EMS role at vehicle crashes and extrication scenes 1:22:46 – PPE, patient protection, and hazards during extrication 1:28:22 – Scene hazards: traffic, bystanders, and electrical dangers 1:48:23 – Vehicle hazards: airbags, fire, fuel, batteries, and alternative fuel vehicles 2:05:36 – Vehicle stabilization: wheels, side-resting vehicles, and rollovers 2:17:05 – Tools of the Trade: KED Board 2:28:22 – Test Prep: refusals, diastolic BP, body systems, and epistaxis -------------------------------------- ⚠️ 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]

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]