Dan, Holly, and Steve return to discuss resiliency and its importance in emergency medical services. Dan and Holly open by highlighting their attendance at the Train the Trainer course for the FBI Officer Resiliency course. The definition of resiliency is debated, and the trio talks about how each individual will reflect resiliency differently. Steve recaps how his parents instilled resiliency in him from a young age, through de-stigmatizing psychological counseling.

Holly and Dan further detail the organizational components of their course, and its emphasis on teaching resiliency early. Story-telling was focused on in the course, as a way to help everyone open up. Holly and Dan review the science behind dealing with stress and building resiliency. One main focus of the course was ABC: activating event, breathe, and then dealing with the consequences. Understanding how the human brain and body react to stress is a key element in dealing with the effects of that stress in all environments.

Holly and Dan further discuss how identifying values helped them learn more about themselves. Setting goals that correspond with one’s values will make reaching those goals easier. The trio calls Scott, a fire chief from Texas, who recounts a story about finding peace and appreciating our individual journeys. The group highlights the importance of practicing gratitude.  The trio wrap up the podcast reflecting on the material discussed in the FBI Officer Resiliency course, and how they apply the philosophies outlined into their own lives.

Steve, Dan, and Holly are joined by special guest, Dr. Brenda Tillman of Readiness Group, to discuss how we as first responders can deal with chronic stress. In today’s world of Covid, natural disasters, social unrest, and political division, it’s hard to maintain our sanity when you throw in a stressful job on top of it. Dr. Tillman reviews ways we can practice good self-care to stay sane and improve our resilience.

Wheel of Survival: Rialto_Cardiac_Survivability_Toolbox

Steve, Dan, and Holly introduce Scotty Bolleter, one of the co-inventors of the EZ-IO. Scotty details how he got started in EMS, and what led him to help create the EZ-IO. Scotty discusses his time as a flight paramedic, and how his time spent training in hospitals pushed him into EMS business ventures. Steve touches on his business ventures in EMS.

Scotty walks the trio through his team’s process of modifying older devices to create their version of the EZ-IO. Scotty talks about his inter-disciplinary team of physicians, engineers, and others. The correct process of placing a humeral IO is discussed, from positioning the patient to proper placement for insertion. The process of IO flow is explained. Scotty discusses possible complications if an IO is placed wrong.

Scotty discusses the use of the distal femur IO placement in cardiac arrest at his department. IO placement in the femur versus the humerus or the tibia is compared. Pediatric IO placement is reviewed. Scotty highlights the open IO, and when it is indicated. Correct IO placement is recapped, and Scotty touches on why EMS providers should not bury an IO needle into the bone. Steve reviews a call on a patient in status seizure where an IO is used for access.