In-Service EMS Podcast
In-Service is a podcast for EMTs, paramedics, and EMS leaders who want to stay informed, inspired, and ready for anything. Hosted by a 30-year veteran of emergency medical services, this show covers EMS leadership, field operations, clinical best practices, and real-world challenges faced by first responders. Each episode features interviews with experts and frontline professionals offering practical insights, career advice, and tools to grow in today’s fast-changing EMS landscape.
More Than Lights and Sirens: Redefining EMS as Healthcare | Israel Contreras
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In this episode of In-Service: EMS Podcast, Jason sits down with Israel Contreras for a deep conversation about the future of EMS and the growing shift from a transportation-based model to a true healthcare delivery system. Israel, currently serving in EMS Transformation and Innovation, explains why the traditional “you call, we haul” approach is no longer sustainable in modern EMS. Together, they explore how systems across the country are beginning to rethink response models, integrate nurse navigation and telehealth, and develop smarter ways to connect patients with the right level of care — not just t...
Toxic EMS Culture: Ethical Drift, Burnout & Leadership Failures | Dave DiNapoli
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This episode digs into the real-world side of values, ethics, and culture in EMS—where the decisions are rarely clean and the consequences are never theoretical. Dave DiNapoli brings the conversation out of the classroom and onto the truck, exploring how values show up in patient care, how ethics can drift under pressure, and how providers are tested when policy, judgment, bias, and human emotion collide.
We talk through the uncomfortable places where EMS providers and leaders are forced to make hard calls: refusals, terminal patients, first responder injuries, frequent callers, un...
The Clinical Expansion of EMS: Blood, Ultrasound, and RSI | Michael Henry & Eric Falvey
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This episode of In-Service: The EMS Podcast dives into the evolving edge of prehospital care, exploring how advanced interventions like RSI, blood products, and ultrasound are reshaping what it means to be a paramedic. Jason sits down with Michael Henry and Eric Falvey to unpack not only the clinical tools driving modern EMS, but the operational realities of delivering that care in a high-volume, high-acuity environment with massive seasonal population surges. The conversation sets the stage for a deeper look at how systems must adapt when demand, geography, and patient complexity collide.
<...From Tactical Leader to System Thinker | Wayne Sandford
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In this episode of In Service, Jason Falvey sits down with Wayne Sandford for a wide-ranging conversation on leadership, scale, and service across more than five decades in the fire service. From his beginnings as a firefighter in East Haven, Connecticut, to leading the Connecticut Fire Academy, serving 15 years as fire chief, helping build Connecticut’s Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security, and later teaching at the University of New Haven, Sandford reflects on the lessons that shaped his approach to leadership.
A central theme of the conversation is Sandford’s be...
“Sign Here”: The Most Dangerous Decision a Paramedic Can Make in EMS | Paul Girard
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This episode is a blunt, practical deep-dive into why patient refusals are the most dangerous decision a paramedic can make—not because the paperwork is hard, but because the mindset shifts: crews treat refusals like “not a real call,” cut corners, and then get crushed later when the outcome goes bad. Paul Girard breaks down how refusals become career-ending events through weak assessments, vague documentation, and failure to prove true decision-making capacity.
Paul lays out what investigators and plaintiff attorneys actually do: they deconstruct the call to answer...
Why EMS Leaders Fail: Executive Coaching, Burnout, and the Leadership Gap | David DiNapoli
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Jason Falvey sits down with Dave DiNapoli (former EMT/paramedic, police officer, police chief; now an executive coach) to unpack why strong clinicians often struggle once they step into leadership. Coaching isn’t about giving answers — it’s about creating clarity, pressure-testing decisions, and forcing leaders to confront unintended consequences. Dave breaks down the hardest transition in EMS: moving from line staff to formal leader, where identity, language, and expectations change overnight. They explore why effective leadership requires one eye on the current problem and one eye downrange, how the “broken w...
Between the Street and the Hospital: Fixing Trust in EMS Care | Carey & Eberly
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The relationship between EMS and hospitals doesn’t begin at the doors of the emergency department—it’s tested there.
In this episode of In-Service, Jason sits down with Brandon Carey and Eric Eberly, two professionals who have worked extensively on both the street and inside the hospital system, to unpack one of the most critical—and misunderstood—areas in emergency medicine: the EMS–hospital handoff.
Drawing from decades of combined experience in EMS leadership, fire service, and hospital consulting at Emory Healthcare, this conversation explores whe...
First Blood: Why EMS Can't Wait for Prehospital Blood | Dave Kleiman
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In this episode of In-Service: The EMS Podcast, Jason Falvey sits down with Dave Kleiman, a U.S. Army medic turned veteran paramedic, to explore why prehospital blood is no longer a future concept, but a present-day necessity in trauma care.
Dave’s career began in the military, where early exposure to battlefield trauma shaped his understanding of hemorrhage, shock, and survival. After transitioning into civilian EMS, he spent more than 30 years on the street before moving into quality improvement and continuing ed...
Between Expectations and Reality: Where EMS Stands Today | Chad Black
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In this deeply candid and wide-ranging conversation, Jason Falvey sits down with Chad Black, longtime EMS leader and Chairman of the Georgia EMS Association, to confront a hard truth: much of what’s breaking EMS isn’t the worst calls—it’s the relentless grind of the ones that never should have happened in the first place.
Drawing on more than four decades in emergency services, Chad shares the calls that shaped him, the leadership lessons learned the hard way, and the emotional toll providers carry long after the sirens f...
Paramedic Training Pipeline: From Zero to Hero
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Paramedic Training Pipeline: Zero to Hero with Andrea, Tyler & Mitchell
What really happens when someone goes from citizen to paramedic in the fastest pathway EMS offers? In this raw, funny, and unexpectedly emotional episode, three medics who took the accelerated “zero to hero” pipeline sit down to talk about what the classroom didn’t teach them, what the field demanded of them, and what it actually feels like to learn EMS in real time.
Andrea Marquez, Tyler George, and Mitchell Lamb come from completely different backgrounds — a seasoned...
Neurodivergence in EMS: Different Wiring, Same Mission
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In this episode, Jason sits down with paramedic Ian McGuigan and his EMT partner Marcia McCollum for an honest, deeply human conversation about what it means to be neurodivergent in EMS—and why it can be a superpower on scene. Ian shares his journey to discovering he is autistic in his late 20s, how years of masking shaped his career, and the unique strengths he brings to the truck: intense focus in chaos, rapid pattern recognition, and calm, structured thinking when everything around him is falling apart.
Together, Ian and Marsha wa...
Behind the Sirens: Women, Work, and the Weight of EMS
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In this powerful and unfiltered episode of In-Service: EMS Podcast, Jason sits down with three extraordinary paramedics — Carra Rau, Eve Moody, and Mary Glasgow Brown — for an honest look at what it truly means to be a woman working in emergency medical services.
Gritty stories of first field terminations, pediatric arrests, delivering babies in chaotic environments, and navigating a male-dominated profession, these women share the moments that shaped them, challenged them, and nearly broke them. They talk openly about balancing motherhood with trauma, carrying guilt home after difficult shifts, and the invi...
Managing Tasks, Leading People: The Leadership Mindset of Chief Brian McNeeley
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In this episode of In-Service, we sit down with a seasoned EMS leader who understands that great leadership begins in the field.
Assistant Chief Brian McNeeley oversees countywide EMS operations in Montgomery County, Tennessee — but his foundation was built in the back of an ambulance and on the front lines of patient care.
Chief McNeeley shares how his time as an Army medic shaped his leadership style and why he believes in keeping policies practical, people-focused, and rooted in real-world experience.
We explore wh...
Designated Survivor: A Conversation in Command
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In this episode of In-Service, host Jason Falvey pulls back the curtain with the EMS supervisors who keep our operation running every day. From juggling calls and managing crews to those late-night decisions no one ever sees, this conversation dives into what it’s really like to be in the hot seat.
The team shares stories from the field, a few laughs about the chaos that comes with the job, and some honest reflections on leadership, teamwork, and trust. It’s an unfiltered look at the people who balance pati...
From Partners to Paramedics: Growth and Lessons from Matt Moughalian and Christian Whelan
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In this episode of In-Service EMS Podcast, we sit down with Matt Moughalian, a seasoned paramedic with a decade of frontline experience, and Christian Whelan, his former EMT partner and now a newly minted paramedic. Together, they share the story of a partnership built in the back of an ambulance—one that evolved from running calls side by side to navigating the challenges of new roles and greater responsibility.
Matt brings the perspective of a veteran provider who has honed his clinical edge and scene leadership over 10 ye...
From Rookie to Respected: Building Excellence in EMS with John Duplantis & Logan Durham
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In this episode of In-Service, we sit down with two paramedics at very different stages of their EMS journeys. John Duplantis, with over 30 years of clinical experience and a reputation for calm leadership under pressure, shares his insights on mentorship, professionalism, and preparing the next generation of providers. Logan Durham, a paramedic just beginning his career, brings fresh perspective on the challenges of transitioning from classroom learning to the unpredictable world of patient care.
Together, they explore what it takes to thrive in EMS—from the habits th...
Calls, Care, and Communication: Soft Skills in EMS with Jed Durden & Crystal Rimert
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In this episode of In-Service, we explore the critical role of soft skills in EMS with Jed Durden and Crystal Rimert. From effective communication and de-escalation techniques to building rapport with neurodivergent and autistic patients, Jed and Crystal share practical strategies that transform patient care and strengthen crew dynamics. They also discuss handling sensitive situations like death notifications, mentoring new EMTs, and using emotional intelligence to lead with empathy in high-pressure environments. Whether you’re an EMT just starting out or a seasoned paramedic, this conversation provides actionable tools to enhance your human sid...
Beyond 911: How MIH Transforms Patient Outcomes with Derek Hofmann
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In this episode of In-Service: The EMS Podcast, host Jason Falvey sits down with Derek Hofmann, a paramedic nurse working in Mobile Integrated Healthcare (MIH)—a model that’s transforming how communities receive care. Derek brings a unique dual perspective in paramedicine and nursing, serving on the frontlines where emergency medicine, primary care, and community health intersect.
We explore Derek’s journey into MIH, what a day in the life of a paramedic nurse looks like, and how MIH programs support patients after hospital discharge, manage...
Calm Under Pressure: Medical Director Insights with Dr. Malcom
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In this episode of In-Service, we sit down with Dr. George “Ed” Malcom III, Emergency Department Medical Director at a Trauma Center in Metropolitan Atlanta. Dr. Malcom is a board-certified emergency physician whose career is defined by leadership in high-acuity care. Recognized by ApolloMD as Medical Director of the Year, he has guided teams through countless cardiac, stroke, and trauma emergencies—while strengthening communication between EMS and the hospital.
Dr. Malcom also brings experience in hyperbaric medicine, adding another layer to his broad clinical background. In our conversation, he shares insights into l...
High Pressure at 3,000 Feet: The Flight Paramedic Journey of Greg Gallaher
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In this episode of In-Service, we sit down with Greg Gallaher, an experienced Flight Paramedic whose career has taken him from the streets to the skies. Greg shares what it takes to thrive in one of the most demanding roles in emergency medicine—balancing advanced clinical decision-making, aviation safety, and teamwork at 3,000 feet.
We’ll explore his journey into flight medicine, the challenges of critical care transport, and the mindset required when every second matters. Greg also reflects on leadership, training, and how flight paramedics integrate with ground EMS, hosp...
On the Stand: Preparing EMS for Trial with Prosecutor Damion Overstreet
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In this episode, Jason Falvey interviews Prosecutor Damion Overstreet to discuss how paramedics and EMTs can prepare for trial. EMS professionals often face high-stakes situations when called to testify in court, and the courtroom atmosphere can be just as intense as the emergency scene. Damion shares valuable strategies for giving clear testimony, handling cross-examination, and understanding the legal process. This conversation is beneficial for both new and experienced EMS providers, as it provides practical insights that can help them protect their patients and themselves in the courtroom.
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<...When the Sirens Fade: The Other Front Line with Nancy Wesselink
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After the sirens have quieted and the immediate chaos subsides, the true challenges for first responders often start. In an insightful and impactful discussion, Nancy Wesselink, a seasoned expert in Critical Incident Stress Management, delves into her methods for assisting first responders in processing the trauma they encounter. She emphasizes the importance of building resilience and safeguarding their mental well-being. With a wealth of experience, Nancy provides actionable strategies to help these professionals manage the emotional burdens associated with emergency work. She underscores the critical need to support those who dedicate their lives...
From the Flight Line to the Front Line: Merritt Riner’s EMS Legacy
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Today’s guest is a true EMS icon. With over four decades of experience across ground and air medicine, Merritt Riner has not only witnessed the evolution of prehospital care—he’s helped shape it. A seasoned paramedic, former flight medic, and currently the Clinical Operations Manager in Metropolitan Atlanta, Merritt has influenced everything from protocols to paramedic education.
You may recognize him from Trauma: Life in the ER, but his lasting legacy lies in the medics he’s mentored, the systems he’s improved, and the standards of care he continues...
High Plains & Higher Stakes: EMS Leadership with Derek Hendren
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In the debut episode of In-Service: The EMS Podcast, we sit down with Derek Hendren, a seasoned paramedic and leader whose roots stretch from the rural landscapes of Wyoming to the fast-paced demands of Metropolitan Atlanta. Now serving as the new Operations Manager, Derek brings a unique blend of frontier-tested resilience and forward-thinking leadership to our team. We discuss the transition from rural to urban EMS, the importance of operational consistency, and his vision for leading high-performance teams in complex environments. Tune in to hear how Derek’s past is shaping the future of...
