Modified Response
In this episode we discuss the concept of modified response in emergency services, what it means and how to integrate it into your operations.
Jul 08, 2025•16 min•Season 25Ep. 14
Don't Risk It! Podcast
Don’t Risk It is designed to help emergency service organizations better protect their responders, equipment and clients by covering a range of safety-related topics.
Every other week, host Chris Rodgers, of VFIS Client Risk Solutions, will speak with industry veterans and risk management experts to discuss what crews can do to help limit common ESO exposures. Don’t miss a single episode of Don’t Risk It! Subscribe today.
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Episodes
Freedom House Ambulance
VFIS Education Specialist Nicole Dugan joins us to learn about Freedom House Ambulance—the first paramedic program in the US, which was fully-staffed by African Americans, and their notable impact on emergency services and beyond.
Jun 24, 2025•7 min•Season 25Ep. 13
Responder Help Updates for 2025
Responder Help is a one stop source for Fire and EMS resources. In this episode, Rick Gurba, Director of VFIS Education and Training, talks about updates made to the site and gives an overview of the resources it provides, including sample SOGs, industry news, training programs and more.
Jun 10, 2025•8 min•Season 25Ep. 12
Catastrophic Storm Preparation
Proof of loss, points of contact and more – In this episode, Mike Leatherwood, Jeff Paul, and Greg Joy of Glatfelter Claims Management discuss items your organization should consider when preparing for a catastrophic event.
May 27, 2025•27 min•Season 25Ep. 11
EMS Compact Chris Rodgers and Donnie Woodyard
Join us as we talk with Donnie Woodyard, Executive Director of EMS Personnel Licensure, and discuss the details of the EMS Compact. The EMS Compact is being utilized by multiple states and allows for greater flexibility of movement of providers’ licenses between states.
May 13, 2025•41 min•Season 25Ep. 10
First Responder Vehicle Controls
As first responder vehicles become more prevalent on our roads, incidents and collisions with these units are on the rise. Join Mike Baker and Dave Bradley of VFIS Client Risk Solutions as we discuss effective controls and best practices for safely operating these vital units.
Apr 29, 2025•11 min•Season 25Ep. 9
NFPA 1582 Physicals
The NFPA 1582 standard offers essential guidance for fire departments aiming to create tailored occupational medical programs that address the unique risks of firefighting. In this episode, members of VFIS Client Risk Solutions talk about the benefits of comprehensive medical assessments and discuss practical alternatives for agencies facing budget constraints.
Apr 15, 2025•8 min•Season 25Ep. 8
Celebrating 100 Meaningful Conversations (Bonus Episode)
We just released our 100th episode of the VFIS Don’t Risk It! podcast—and wanted to let you know that we’re truly honored that this platform gives us the opportunity to share meaningful conversations about the fire and EMS industry, safety best practices, industry news and more. You’ve downloaded 19,000 episodes—and listened to our discussions for over 285,000 hours—and we cannot thank you enough for taking the time to listen, learn and prioritize the safety of your team. Whether you’re new to o...
Apr 08, 2025•13 min•Season 25Ep. 7
5 Common ESO Risks Worth Noting - 100th Episode!
From ongoing driver training to fidelity practices, in our 100th episode, the VFIS Client Risk Solutions team shares the 5 most-common recommendations that we make during our on-site risk assessments of emergency service organizations (ESOs). Join us next week for a very special celebration of our 100th episode anniversary, where we reflect on the journey of the Don’t Risk It! podcast so far.
Apr 01, 2025•22 min•Season 25Ep. 7
VFIS Underwriting Process with VFIS Underwriting and Chris Rodgers
In this episode we hear from members of VFIS Underwriting regarding the VFIS underwriting process and what they look for in a quality account.
Mar 18, 2025•12 min•Season 25Ep. 6
VFIS University Updates with Rick Gurba and Chris Rodgers
It isn’t easy to get everyone together for training classes on a regular basis. In this episode, Rick Gurba, Director of VFIS Education and Training, gives us an update on enhancements to the VFISu platform, including the new Instructor Portal, which allows agencies to distribute training content effectively without members having to attend the class in person.
Mar 04, 2025•8 min•Season 25Ep. 5
Highways with Limited Access with Chris Rodgers and Jake Hoover
Turnarounds, exit ramps, crossovers – when responding to a highway incident, there’s always potential for something to go wrong. In this episode, Jake Hoover from VFIS Education and Training discusses some best practices for responding to scenes on highways with limited access.
Feb 18, 2025•11 min•Season 25Ep. 4
Employment Practices Liability Hotline with Chris Rodgers and Wendy Melk
Legal action against employers related to Employment Practices Liability (EPL) claims is rising. In this episode, we talk with Wendy Melk from Jackson Lewis regarding our EPLI helpline, provided to educate clients about HR-related legal risks and help prevent claims.
Feb 04, 2025•21 min•Season 25Ep. 3
Recordkeeping Best Practices with Mike Baker and Scott Harkins
The records you keep, or don’t keep, paint a picture of your Emergency Service organization. In this episode, Mike Baker and Scott Harkins of VFIS Client Risk Solutions discuss the importance of recordkeeping, including what records to save and how to maintain them.
Jan 21, 2025•13 min•Season 25Ep. 2
Fatigue Management with Chris Rodgers and Daniel Althaus
Is your crew in a state of readiness? How long have these individuals been awake and active on the road? In this episode, we talk with Daniel Althaus from Orange Cross Ambulance about the Fatigue Management concept and the steps they’ve taken to develop a proactive approach to managing fatigue. Aditional fatigue management resouces on ResponderHelp. https://www.responderhelp.com/fatigue
Jan 07, 2025•28 min•Season 25Ep. 1
Pediatric Injury Prevention with Shannon DePatto - Encore
The Don't Risk It podcast team is taking a well-deserved break this winter, but we will be back in January with new episodes. In the meantime, we are revisiting a few episodes that focus on critical issues emergency responders face in their day-to-day duties. In 2020, gunshot wounds were the leading cause of injury and death to children. In this episode, Trauma Prevention Coordinator Shannon DePatto from Penn State Children’s Hospital talks about the hospital’s efforts to reduce pediatric injuri...
Dec 10, 2024•14 min•Season 24Ep. 25
Cyber Security with Chris Rodgers and Shawn Nelson - ENCORE
The Don't Risk It podcast team is taking a well-deserved break this winter, but we will be back in January with new episodes. In the meantime, we are revisiting a few episodes that focus on critical issues emergency responders face in their day-to-day duties. From one-off phishing emails to sophisticated cyber schemes, cybercriminal techniques continue to advance. Shawn Nelson, Chief Information Security Officer at Glatfelter Insurance Group, provides some best practices to help Emergency Servic...
Nov 26, 2024•13 min•Season 24Ep. 24
EVDT Program Update with Chris Rodgers and Dave Michaels
Driving is a common and sometimes overlooked risk faced by first responders daily. Despite all the training in the fire service, when it comes to driver training, there is more work to be done. Dave Michaels, Executive VP of VFIS Education, Training and Consulting, talks about updates to the new VFIS Emergency Vehicle Driver Training (EVDT) Program, which are based on the latest standards and most recent statistics available.
Nov 12, 2024•10 min•Season 24Ep. 23
Crew Resource Management with Chris Rodgers and Woody Sullivan
Crew Resource Management (CRM) is a set of training procedures for use in environments where human error can have devastating effects. Woody Sullivan from VFIS Education Training and Consulting talks about CRM and how to adopt these principles for the fire service
Oct 29, 2024•25 min•Season 24Ep. 22
PHRT Hazmat and Rescue Instruction/Lithium Batteries with Chris Rodgers and Chris Pfaff
Batteries can be used in anything; not just electric vehicles. In this episode, we talk with Chris Pfaff (Owner-Lead Instructor) of PHRT Hazmat and Rescue Instruction about the widespread use and potential dangers of Lithium-ion batteries from the perspective of consumer commodities such as tablets, scooters and laptops.
Oct 15, 2024•16 min•Season 24Ep. 21
NFPA 3000: Active Shooter/Hostile Event Response with Chris Rodgers and Massachusetts DFS Staff
It requires a whole community approach to prepare for, respond to, and recover from an active attack event. In this episode, Massachusetts’ Scott Cluett (Statewide ASHER Coordinator for the Dept. of Fire Services), John Mazza (Statewide ASHER Coordinator for the Municipal Police), and Jake Wark (Public Information Officer for the Dept. of Fire Services) join us to discuss details of the NFPA 3000 and how they utilized this standard to develop their statewide ASHER (Active Shooter/Hostile Event R...
Oct 01, 2024•21 min•Season 24Ep. 20
Aerial Inspection with Sam Yank
Testing aerial devices of fire apparatus is crucial to ensure their functionality, reliability and safety during firefighting operations. In this episode, Sam Yank from Industrial Inspections & Analysis (IIA) discusses the aerial device testing services they provide, the differences in tests and the recommended inspections for aerial apparatus.
Sep 17, 2024•18 min•Season 24Ep. 19
Patient Care Reporting: Quality Assurance Best Practices with Dave Bradley, Nicole Dugan and Jake Hoover
What’s the whole story? In this episode, Dave Bradley from Client Risk Solutions along with Nicole Dugan and Jake Hoover from our Education and Training team discuss Patient Care Reporting and why it’s important to document all the events of a call, from the beginning to the end.
Sep 03, 2024•11 min•Season 24Ep. 18
SOGs vs SOPs with Chris Rodgers, Blair Tyndall, Mike Baker and Bryan Duquin
Standard Operating Guidelines (SOGs) and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) – What is the difference? Is there a difference? In this episode, Blair Tyndall and Mike Baker of Client Risk Solutions and Emergency Services Specialist Bryan Duquin discuss the importance of SOGs and SOPs, the differences between them, and ways to develop and integrate these governing documents into your organization’s operations.
Aug 20, 2024•14 min•Season 24Ep. 17
Fleet Maintenance with Chris Rodgers, Bryan Duquin & Blair Tyndall
From aerials to tires, a comprehensive fleet maintenance program serves to protect the organization’s most valuable assets. In this episode, Blair Tyndall from VFIS Client Risk Solutions and Emergency Services Specialist Bryan Duquin discuss fleet maintenance best practices – what to include and why.
Aug 06, 2024•16 min•Season 24Ep. 16
Patient Handling with Chris Rodgers, Mike Baker and Dave Bradley of Client Risk Solutions & Paul Bachtel of VFIS Claims
Forty-four percent of the professional liability claims experienced by VFIS are attributed to patient handling. Mike Baker and Dave Bradley of Client Risk Solutions join Paul Bachtel of VFIS Claims to talk about trends in patient handling claims and provide key insights and suggestions to help emergency service organizations mitigate this exposure.
Jul 23, 2024•14 min•Season 24Ep. 15
Patient Care Reporting: Quality Assurance Program with Chris Rodgers, Jake Hover & Nichole Dugan
In this episode, Jake Hoover and Nicole Dugan from VFIS’ Education, Training & Consulting (ETC) department discuss quality assurance (QA) in the emergency services and provide some suggestions for assessing a quality assurance program to help ensure it enhances efficiencies, improves proficiencies and supports continuous improvement.
Jul 09, 2024•9 min•Season 24Ep. 14
Incident Documentation with Chris Rodgers and Tracie Young-Brungard
Documentation helps minimize the impacts of an incident on the responder. It also helps identify risks and implement change to reduce those risks in the future. In this episode, we talk with Bryan Duquin of VFIS and Tracie Young-Brungard of the PA State Fire Commissioner’s Office about the importance of incident documentation for Fire and EMS.
Jun 25, 2024•11 min•Season 24Ep. 13
Incident Investigation with Chris Rodgers, Blair Tyndall and Bryan Duquin
What’s the big picture? All incidents should be investigated to identify trends and benchmark information, find a root cause and build an educational model for the organization. Find out more about incident investigation best practices in this episode with Blair Tyndall and Bryan Duquin of VFIS Client Risk Solutions.
Jun 11, 2024•14 min•Season 24Ep. 12
Lithium Ion with host Chris Rodgers & guest Bobby Salveson from The HazMat Guys
From cell phones to e-bikes - In today’s world, you would be hard pressed to go to a fire where a lithium ion battery is not involved. In this episode, Bobby Salveson from The Haz Mat Guys talks about the dangers of lithium ion batteries and some best practices for emergency service providers to consider when encountering these products at the scene. www.thehazmatguys.com
May 28, 2024•11 min•Season 24Ep. 11
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