EMS Today 2011 in review

I’m home sick today convalescing from some crud that I picked up in Baltimore. So, I’m watching the Matrix trilogy and getting caught up on some emails.

So much happened in Baltimore that I’m not sure where to begin. Whether I write about the specifics or not, I accomplished all of my goals. I caught up with some old friends and I made a lot of new ones. I didn’t sign up for any classes this year. I just came to Baltimore to have fun and network.

I flew up on Tuesday, March 1 and checked into the Hilton Garden Inn at the Inner Harbour and met Dave Hiltz for some drinks at the James Joyce Irish Pub. Dave and I have know each other online for several months now, so it was a real pleasure to meet him in “real life”. Somehow we never have a shortage of things to talk about and it was even better over some Black & Tans (in Dave’s case with a sidecar).

On Wednesday, March 2 I met with the Public Safety Team of the American Heart Association (follow them on Twitter @ahapublicsafety). We discussed EMS 2.0 and the intersection of EMS and social media. As I mentioned before, they really impressed me as a group of top-notch professionals ready to re-engage the EMS market. Special thanks to Craig Day, Dave Hiltz, and Lindsey Sandoval for their help setting up the meeting.

Dave Hiltz and Tom Bouthillet at EMS 10 Awards

I also met with the EMS Section of the International Association of Fire Chiefs (follow them on Facebook). Again, the topic was social media and the power of Web 2.0. It was a pleasure to sit down with these gentlemen who I hadn’t seen since Fire-Rescue Med 2010. I’m pleased to see fire-based EMS under such competent leadership and I think we can expect even more from the EMS Section of the IAFC in the not-too-distant future.

I attended the EMS 10 Awards (congratulations to Dave Hiltz of HEARTSafe Community, Greg Friese of EMS EduCast, and Chris Montera of EMS Garage). Also special thanks to Erik Denny of Physio-Control for being kind enough to extend me an invitation for this exclusive event. It was a privilege and I had a great time!

Immediately following the EMS 10 Awards we headed on over to the ZOLL Pre-Conference Blogger Bash at the Pratt Street Ale House. What an awesome time! If you weren’t there, you missed an awesome party. Many have already seen the video of me drooling on myself at the end of the night. Thank you Ted Setla (@FRNtv)!

Natalie Quebodeaux, Meris Shuwarger and April Sailing at the ZOLL Blogger Bash

The next morning I slept in as long as possible and then packed up my things and moved over to the Hilton Baltimore attached to the Convention Center. I attended the HeartRescue Project “lunch and learn” (I will be writing about that in the near future because it’s awesome). Then I walked over to the Physio-Control booth and made some new friends, including Dana Yost from King County Medic One. Of course I also said hello to my good friend Tim Phalen.

That night was the Fire/EMS Blogger meet-up at the Uno Chicago Grill. This year we had the entire place to ourselves. At first I thought that was pretty cool. Unfortunately, it meant that everyone had plenty of room to spread out and sit at different tables.

Ted Setla and Justin Schorr (not visible in frame) doing what they do best at the JEMS FireEMSBlogs.com meet-up sponsored by Physio-Control

So, while it wasn’t as crowded as last year, there was a lot less “mingling” and it just didn’t feel quite the same. It’s just as well because I knew I was podcasting the following day. Last year I appeared with a blistering hangover on the MedicCast and I was determined not to repeat the error!

One nice thing about Baltimore is that it’s easy to catch a taxi cab. I headed straight back to the hotel and hit the rack. At least, I tried. Even from 11 stories up the City of Baltimore was rocking! Eventually sleep came.

Next thing I knew it was Friday, March 4. It’s amazing how fast these conferences fly by! I grabbed my prerequisite cup of coffee and I was off to the conference. They almost didn’t let me in because I didn’t have an exhibitor pass. But, I was able to convince the guard I was a podcaster and he allowed me though.

MedicCast with Tim Noonan, Dana Yost, Tom Bouthillet and Jamie Davis

I showed up at the ProMed Network podcasting booth about 10 minutes early at 9:50 a.m.. The schedule was running slightly behind (but only slightly) and the MedicCast kicked off with the EMS “Yeti” Tim Noonan (Rogue Medic), Dana Yost from King County Medic One, me and the ’podmedic’ Jamie Davis (always a gentleman). You won’t want to miss this episode! I’ll let you know as soon as it’s released.

After that it was off to lunch with my good friends Charlotte Norton and Jon Cloutier from ZOLL. It’s even remotely possible that I had a shot of tequila with one of them but I’m not telling which one. Then it was back to podcasting area because the EMS Research podcast was set to kick off at 2:00 p.m. and I had to make sure our guests were lined up or I knew Anne Robinson would kill me! I say that with love, Anne.

EMS Research podcast with Lynn White, Dave Hiltz, Tim Noonan and Tom Bouthillet

Thankfully, it all worked out in the end. Special thanks to Harry Mueller who allowed me the opportunity to host our special episode of the EMS Research podcast. I was honored to invite my good friend Dave Hiltz (hopefully you’ll be seeing a lot more of him because I’m going to do my best to talk him into becoming a blogger) and a new friend, Lynn White (HeartRescue Project Education Director) to be our special guests, and of course, the illustrious scallywag and EMS “Yeti” Tim Noonan.

After that, I “laid low” with Tim Noonan, Russell Stine (@HybridMedic) and David Baumrind at the Diamond Tavern. Special thanks to Chris Montera (@geekymedic) for finding my computer at the podcasting booth, figuring out it was mine, and contacting me via Twitter. We met up with them briefly at the Orioles Grille before I turned in for the night.

They were on the way to Max’s Taphouse (karaoke night which was obviously going to be epic) but I was just partied out. I was subsequently disowned by Carissa O’Brien (@CarissaO) but I’m hoping she’ll eventually forgive me.

All in all, a heck of a good time. I was sorry to come home! Of course, my trip home was uneventful compared to that of Ambulance Driver and Too Old To Work Too Young To Retire!

Speaking of Kelly Grayson (Ambulance Driver) consider these observations he made about EMS Today 2011 and EMS 2.0.

What is different this time is the social media revolution.

EMS bloggers like Justin Schorr, Chris Kaiser, and others, filmmakers like Ted Setla, and EMS podcasters like Jamie Davis, Chris Montera, Greg Friese, and Ron Davis have recognized the power of social media, and they’ve harnessed it to empower the rank-and-file EMS provider in the process.

The days when the professional committee members could shape EMS policy without input from street providers are becoming a thing of the past. We have a voice now, and its a powerful one.

Thanks to all for a wonderful time! Hopefully I’ll see you at EMS Expo 2011.