MY Top 10 of ‘11

1. The people I have met in 2011 This should go without saying. I finally got the privilege to meet the folks behind the keyboards and @ signs that I have spoken to in 140 character blocks. It was worth being called an “ass” when I met Ted Setla, as much as it was worth watching @THEGrinderMedic order someone a drink called “uh…” in Vegas. Hope to meet more next year.

2. EMS Today 2011 Well, yeah, the first real conference I went to would make the #2 spot. It had its own set of adventures (to include a missed flight). When is the pre-party for next year’s at Pratt St.?

3. EMSWorld Expo 2011  Wow…the one thing I bitched the loudest about getting my travel approved for only made #3. The strip and the Las Vegas Convention Center will never be the same after the #CoEMS crew was done with it. Will NOLA be the same?

4. FDIC 2011 The biggest Fire Department conference of the year made the Number 4 spot on this year’s top 10. Finally meeting The Fire Critic, Capt. Willie Wines, and a few others.  Same place in 2012—the week before my 41st celebration of being alive.

5. My unit returning home from Iraq The 801st Combat Support Hospital (Detachment 10) was in Iraq for 10 months providing Detainee Health Care. All but two of my Soldiers are now home.

6. 21 seconds at FDIC The Globe Firefighter Challenge only took me 21 seconds to complete at FDIC in Indianapolis.  It would have been faster if I had known that the “rescue dummy” weighed about three pounds (I was expecting much heavier).

just crawl between the cones to take less time

7. Participating in #KiltedtoKickCancer The idea of a couple of friends not only increased awareness for the male specific cancers, but also ended up with a pretty penny being donated to LiveStrong and the Prostate Cancer Foundation. It also got the biggest reading from this headquarters while trying to make my kilt (which is now hanging in the closet and a 3rd one is being planned on for purchase eventually). I will say, though, that they’re nice in the summer…but one wintertime word:  SHRINKAGE. (Though they make life easier with the TSA)
 

8. Making the “Medic’s Mecca” The only reason this is not higher in the countdown is because 1) the LACoFD Museum was closed and 2) the crew from LACoFD Station 127 were out on a run when I arrived. It was still a nice retirement present from my unit given to me the day before Thanksgiving.
 

9. Attending the 9th Annual US Army EMS Conference I wasn’t expecting to go, but I got my first glimpse of the Alamo and Durty Nelly’s in San Antonio. This trip was much better than phase 2 of my BNCOC.
 

10. My Retirement Orders It took over a year to get them, and that included re-submitting the packet exactly one year after I first put it in. But getting them puts a chapter to a close that I am very thankful to have written in history. It had its high points and low points, and I actually got to see some beautiful parts of the country while I was in the Army Reserve, but now I get to watch the younger Soldiers fill in my place as I sit and watch from my rocking chair.

The Fourth Badge

On the wall in my bedroom, there is a nail between my desk and my closet. On that nail hang four items composed of paper, plastic, cloth, and a clip. Each with its own story to tell.

The first one is from a weekend in March that started with some real strange foursquare check ins. It built up to meeting a BEAUTIFUL blonde lady and culminated with one check in asking “Where’s the Party?”.

I walked into the exhibit hall and ended up meeting friends, old and young; Happy, and those that seemed to have a permanent scowl on their faces. Friends that live both under lights and under sea level. All kinds on medics under the same roof. Some social, some talking out of their garage, and even an ambulance driver or two.

I was even able to get myself a nice toy or two.

Of course, with every badge, there’s an adventure that goes with it.  Especially when you miss your flight home and have to spend the night in the airport USO

The second badge, encased in it’s black pouch comes from a much closer locale later in March. The aforementioned beauty told me that she was going to spend that weekend living “vicariously through me” while I was traveling on the expressway in my pick up.

Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised when she came knocking on my room door with the TALL red that I had met just a couple of weeks before. I’m not sure if it was the fact that we were together again or that I had a face covered in shaving cream, but neither mattered.

The meet up that we went to had more friends. Some made of iron, some that ran to the curb a lot, some that were critical, almost daily, reaching out on the radio.

On that HUGE floor, I saw an old geezer that definitely kept the coffee going. I also ran into a medic that captured this…

All 21 seconds of hustle

It was a long drive back to Peoria.

The third badge, encased in its own cloth and plastic holder, is an anomaly. It’s one that shouldn’t be there really. I have no clue how lucky I was to be able to go to San Antonio for the US Army EMS Conference—if you really want to call it a conference. No one was allowed in the exhibit hall unless they were on break or at lunch time. A shocking thing, is that the booths weren’t all that big…especially ones with BIG NAMES.

The fourth badge, in it’s plastic holder with blue ribbon, reminds me of meeting more friends, young and old. Some rallying for a cause and some looking for the latest toys. Most all came to network, enjoying the fellowship of their fellow providers these birds of a feather. Generations of us, with many braving the elements to get there, all coming together for the same purpose.

I look at those four badges hanging on that nail and contemplate the spring and summer’s events. It also makes me wonder…

Where am I going to hang the 5th one?

Til next time…

EMSWorld Expo 2011 Day 3 Recap

It’s all over but the shouting…

Taking a break from packing to return home from a whirlwind three days of EMSWorld Expo to give a recap of today’s highlights…

After I got my orders signed, I started my day with the Zoll sponsored CPR Guidelines Breakfast & Learn. The speaker told us how the new guidelines increased the “go home” percentage in Arizona.

Met up with our friend Kelly Grayson as we made our way through the exhibit hall…after waiting about 5 extra minutes to get inside the darn thing. Kelly, TC_Lifesaver,and myself stopped by the Sin City Medic booth and perused their selection of SOL stickers. Co-located with them were the guys from The Paramedic Chronicles. The Paramedic Chronicles is a comedy about “Life in the world of private EMS.” The episode they were showing for us featured Dr. Bledsoe as the MEDCOM doc.

We made our way to the Social Media Lounge sponsored by PhysioControl, but the stay was only brief due to the desire to have a nicotine bolus. On my way outside, I was given one of the cameras that Sam Bradley was carrying and told to guard with my life.

I kept the words “muzzle awareness” close to my heart as I went outside of the convention center for my cigarette. I had just finished when I was paged to the Zoll booth. Upon arrival, I ran into Ted Setla,Chris Eldridge, Justin Schorr,and Kelly. They were getting ready to film something about Kilted To Kick Cancer and launch a jab at one of the local morning news anchors about not being kilted up himself. I also handed over the camera because I knew it would be safer with Ted than it would be with me.

After getting my $4.00 worth of salad for lunch (salad bar with small bowl of salad for 4 bucks…stacked about 4 inches over the top), I accompanied Dave Konig on our excursion to visit the folks at Klenz. They make a pre-moistened wipe that is the size of a beach towel. It was originally made for our Soldiers over in the Middle East. They also make a 10 inch by 12 inch version that’s available in packs of 10. They’re fragrance free, so you don’t smell like a baby’s butt when you use them.

Then we went upstairs for Justin’s class “How a Blog Saved My Life.”  Justin shared with us (the entire EMS 2.0 crew that was on hand and a few other folks) his autobiography starting with an on the job accident in 2007 that nearly ended his career and how creating his blog started a snowball that brought not only Chronicles of EMS, but the beginnings of EMS 2.0.

He also shared a “primer” on using Social Media. It was a very informative class.

After all was said and done, a couple of our friends got married this afternoon. 1-U-801 HQ would like to wish @leatherheadff and @schoolgirl101 who asked us to join them in Vegas as the two started a new chapter of their lives.

Now, the kilt is put in the duffel bag and I have to get a nap before putting on my uniform.  Until next time…

EMSWorld Expo Day 2 wrap up

And now, the story continues…

Morning started with a class on Unraveling Tachycardia by Kelly Grayson which turned out to be very informative and humorous.

Then the day in the exhibit hall (why do I even bother scheduling myself for classes?).

Started off getting caught by one of the ladies from the Zoll booth who spotted me in my kilt. Picture was taken and tweeted really quick (wow).

Once I got inside, I remembered a shortage of gloves in my Blackhawk bag, so I hit the first glove distributor I found and got myself about six or seven sample packs with various sizes in them.

The Laderal Sim Lab was my next destination. I looked at various items, and met up with some folks that I talked to in San Antonio back in May…visited 4 stations and got a t-shirt.

The fine folks at Rural/Metro Ambulance had a VERY stunning T-shirt on display at their booth. They asked me if I wanted one. Who am I to decline a freebie?

(Score for the week:  5 T-shirts)

I was looking for the National EMS Academy’s booth when one of the folks from VeinLite caught up with me. Evidentally, while they were at the EMS Conference in San Antonio, I referred enough Soldiers to them that they actually GAVE me one of these SWEET lights.

What the VeinLite does is illuminates the area that an IV is going to be stuck so the medic can actually SEE THEIR TARGET. No more poke and hope, as long as the AA batteries don’t go dead during the shift.

After a nice, long recharge in the Physio Control/ProMed Social Media Lounge, the big event of the evening (other than another kilted group picture in front of the Hilton’s Elvis statue)…Hollywood Nights.

The event was at the Planet Hollywood Restaurant on the strip. This party included a LIVE TWITTER FEED the entire time, and yes, I had my share of tweets on there.

Myself, Justin Schorr,and Kelly Grayson. Ain’t we just a PRODIGIOUS group?

The wrap up of the wrap up tomorrow

Take care, Stay Safe.

EMSWorld Expo 2011 Day 1 wrap up

Where to start where to start…
Let’s go with the events of just prior to the publisher of EMSWorld magazine. The Clark County FD Honor Guard presented the colors with the pipes. It brought tears to my eyes.
Then open the flood gates and let everyone on to the exhibit hall floor.  Ho-ly CRAP. That. Thing. Is. HUGE!!
Start off with a visit to the Zoll booth. REALLY LIT UP in pale blue lights—sort of like the background to this page. Our mission, collect the puzzle pieces and get a prize. The prize I ended up getting for that was…

My new Zoll portable monitor (good as long as I don’t hit a bump). I also took the CPR Challenge and received a relay tweet to get back to the Zoll booth. I hastily finished my cigarette and made my way back to the booth to find out that I was the hourly winner of a Zoll Pocket CPR. It’s an ingenious device that ensures proper CPR rate and depth. A nice new toy.
(couldn’t get the damn thing to rotate)
While I was at the Zoll both, I ran into the FRN (First Responders Network). I ended up getting half of my “uniform” to kick of Kilted to Kick Cancer tomorrow. I will post a picture tomorrow night with a couple of people getting a “very limited sneak preview”.
Today’s activities also included a visit to the EMS1.com booth and a visit with Kris Kaull. Ended up getting my badge scanned for a T-shirt and downloading an app for my phone.
Other cool visits today included:
Visiting the fine folks at The Barf Bib and getting a sample to go with the HURL-E that I have in my bag at home. The Barf Bib is made of a different material that is resistant to tearing off by a patient. We’ll have to see how well it works.
5.11 Tactical the fine folks there are giving out some nice pink trimmed ball caps as bling as well as giving us a chance to enter to win a very nice jacket. It’s reversible
Of course, the wonderful folks at MagnumBoots USA are giving away KTKC T-shirts. You just have to make a donation, which 100% will go to.
American Heart Association in Booth 2207 were expecting me (surprise) and I got a beautiful patch from them.  The patch is on their Facebook page (hint: click the link)
Ended up getting a nice looking patch from the folks at Tactical Tailor.com that I wish I could wear on my uniform for more than 20 seconds.
In the hall this afternoon, I got stopped by a gentleman from Gordon Center for Research in Medical Education at Miami State University. He gave me a deck of playing cards and told me that he gives them to all the Soldiers in uniform that came by. The deck has cardiac arrhythmias with the answers on the jokers. I wonder if that will help me in Kelly Grayson's tachycardia class tomorrow.
I also spent a good deal of time in the Social Media Lounge sponsored by the fine folks at Physio Control. They’re the ones that make our FAVORITE monitors, the LP 10. Of course, #MyPerfectMonitor would have a Keurig built in to it.
And I got a pair of nice challenge coins from MTM Recognition. One has a roulette wheel on one side and the LV sign on the other. The second coin is a St. Florian coin.
Not putting together a who’s who list yet…I’m still running into folks that I am meeting for the first time in person (Refer to my Baltimore post).
Until the Day 2 recap tomorrow…

Cool to wear…but I damn sure ain’t making another one

Let me start off by saying that I am NOTHING CLOSE to a tailor. I can barely sew patches onto my uniforms. On top of that, only one set of Battle Dress Uniform (BDUs) was completely obliterated in this project.

At least 5 days after I started, I for the most part have myself a kilt.

“OH, Dad, you’re making a MANSKIRT!!!” My darling daughter announced to the whole damn house as soon as I laid out everything on my bedroom floor. She has been corrected several times, and she still calls it that.  Damn kids.

I’m not sure what the ruling is at my job about wearing one. I’m quite sure that after I get asked the standard question of “what is on under that?”, I’ll be told to go put on some pants (don’t want the nice darling hooligans learning about male specific cancers, now).

Now, when I get asked (and I’m quite sure I will), I’ll not only reply with “nothing’s WORN under my kilt—everything is in perfect working order”, but I will also steal @theHappyMedic’s line and follow up quickly with a 1 in 6 chance of a disease that will kill over 33,000 men in a year.

With this knowledge, a couple of heavy hitters in the blogosphere, the aforementioned Happy Medic and his soul crushing friend @motorcop came up with an idea to raise awareness of the male related cancers during September…#kiltedtokickcancer. (By the way, September is actually prostate cancer awareness month…perfect timing.) They took their idea to the fine folks at Magnum Boots and alt.kilt, which was replied with a resounding “Boo-to-da-yeah”.

When they announced it, I said that someone from THIS HQ was going to also sport a kilt, but an ACU kilt at EMS World Expo. That idea was shot down after I started slicing and dicing an old set of BDUs for the project.

Considering that just some little old lady from Pokipsee reads my blog, if by chance some guys my age (30 1/2 + a couple) happens to read this scrawling, do yourself (and your family) a favor…get you ass to the doctor and get checked. Remember that 1 in 6 chance? Yeah, that should be enough motivation right there.

I know when we’re in the station, the barracks, the PX, the ambo, we make jokes about it, calling it “ass cancer” or “ball cancer”. This is no laughing matter.

Guys, if you don’t have the balls to sport a kilt for the month (whether it’s one that you bought or a home made one like mine (and mine’s UGLY)), do yourself the favor, all right?

I’ll post pictures as I get a few taken…right now, I have some hemming and trimming to do.