How do you put a price on your fire apparatus? In this episode, VFIS Regional VP of Sales, Joe Giorgi, and Sales Executive Scott Cain provide an overview of the agreed value concept and discuss updates to the VFIS policy. What is agreed value? (glatfelters.com)
Whether it’s a public assist call or a police response call, emergency service leadership and providers should be concerned about their patient refusal process. In this episode, Paul Bachtel of VFIS Claims joins Mike Baker and Dave Bradley of Client Risk Solutions to discuss patient refusals, including trends and best practices for patient refusal procedures.
Incident rehab serves to identify conditions in personnel that may otherwise go undetected and could lead to serious health conditions, disabilities and death. In this episode, Tracie Young-Brungard, Director of Recruitment and Retention for the PA State Fire Commissioner’s office, discusses how the concept of incident rehab applies to emergency services.
“Documentation wins the day.” In this episode, David Givot, Esq., EMS Defense Attorney at The Legal Guardian, author of Sirens, Lights and Lawyers: The Law and Other Important Stuff EMS Providers Never Learned in School, and former paramedic from LA County, provides insight on issues he’s observed with protecting and defending EMS clients. Sirens, Lights, and Lawyers: The Law & Other Really Important Stuff EMS Providers Never Learned in School: Givot, David: 9788350901871: Amazon.com: Books...
From electronic vehicles and mobility devices to best practices for collecting and capturing thermal batteries, in this episode, Fire Chief Michael O’Brian from Brighton Area Fire Authority talks about some best practices when encountering electronic vehicle fires.
From large apparatus to brush vehicles and trailers, there’s a huge liability exposure when a service vehicle exceeds the manufacturer’s gross vehicle weight. In this episode, Mike Baker and Bryan Duquin from Client Risk Solutions discuss why it’s important for ESOs to obtain the heights and weights of their emergency vehicles and some best practices for doing so. Additional Resource Visit www.responderhelp.com for additional resources on gross vehicle weight and axel weight ratings....
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 Service Organizations prevent cybersecurity-related incidents and protect the valuable personal information they collect. Additional Resource VFIS University offers cyber training courses to active clients.
From patient handling to driving vehicles, in this episode, Michael McCabe, host of the EMS World Podcast and Director and CEO of McCabe Ambulance in Bayonne, NJ, talks about what keeps him up at night and the issues he’s observed in the ambulance service. https://emsworldpodcasts.podbean.com
As part of their work to reduce preventable firefighter death and injury, the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation has developed the Fire Vulnerability Assessment Program (VAP). In this episode, Fire Chief Nick Perkins from Travis County Emergency Services District #2, provides an overview of the VAP process and explains how your organization can use this assessment to help your department’s risk reduction strategies.
Body cameras are being used more frequently in the emergency medical services to help with incident management and to ensure the responder behaves and is treated appropriately. In this episode, we are joined by Tim Hearn from Fort Smith EMS (Fort Smith, AR) to talk about body cameras in EMS, why and how his agency implemented this type of program, and the policy they adopted.
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. Whether Santa is riding in the hose bed for the holidays, or a citizen or non-member is riding along for clinical experience, when non-members ride in department apparatus, it can take the driver’s attention off the road. When a driver is d...
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. Be ahead of the game when preparing your property for seasonal changes in temperature. In this roundtable discussion with members of the Client Risk Solutions team, we talk about some best practices for winterizing stations and support facilities, ...
VFIS Risk Control’s expertise and commitment to safety have not only saved countless lives but also improved the overall effectiveness of emergency service providers across the country. In this episode, we talk with Randy Hess, former Director of VFIS Risk Control, about the historical impact of Client Risk Solutions on Emergency Services.
From intersection best practices to smart use of privately-owned vehicles, it’s important that every vehicle operator understands what is expected from management. In this episode, members of the VFIS Client Risk Solutions team discuss the importance of having written policies and procedures in place and offer some best practices for developing emergency response guidelines for your ESO.
Lights and Sirens response increases the chances of an emergency vehicle crash by 50% and almost triples the chances of a crash during a patient transport. It’s critical to think about how you’re responding to the event you’re dispatched for. In this episode with members of the VFIS Client Risk Solutions team, we discuss modified response and the use of lights and sirens in your organization.
In addition to significant injury or death, rollover accidents leave the ESO without a vehicle, facing costly repairs and long turnaround times for a replacement. In this episode with members of the VFIS team, we discuss the significance of rollover prevention and some best practices for driver training and policy development.
To maintain the viability of volunteer fire and emergency services there is a definite need to recruit and retain volunteers. Tracie Young-Brungard BS, EMTP, RRC, Recruitment & Retention Administrator for the Pennsylvania Office of the State Fire Commissioner joins the discussion on retention and recruitment of personnel in emergency services, offering suggestions on recruiting and retaining members and providing some supportive legislative materials.
Whether Santa is riding in the hose bed for the holidays, or a citizen or non-member is riding along for clinical experience, when non-members ride in department apparatus, it can take the driver’s attention off the road. When a driver is distracted from safe vehicle operation, the risk of injury or damage increases. In this episode, members of the VFIS team discuss important considerations for allowing non-ESO members to ride in department vehicles.
Peer support has been shown to help recognize and reduce presentations of incident stress and pre-PTSD and can be a beneficial route to help first responders avoid PTSD. VFIS’ Bryan Duquin and Chief Chaplain Jimmy Fannin of Chaplains Corps of Lancaster County join the program to offer suggestions for providing peer support to ESO members
A good grounding system is designed to keep electrical surges out of your building. A better system also has a failsafe for electricity to bounce out if it does get in. What grounding system do you have in place? Chances are, it’s obsolete, even if it has been maintained. In this episode, Tom LaBarge from GroundLinx Technologies, LLC provides some education and best practices when it comes to lightning protection and grounding for emergency service facilities.
Unintentional hose deployment is an embarrassment at best for a fire department but the key concern is for the life and property of others. In this episode, members of the VFIS team discuss the significance of hose securement and provide some best practices to help reduce the exposure. More information regarding this topic can be found in section 15.10 of the NFPA 1901: Standard for Automotive Fire Apparatus (2016).
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 injuries and trauma, and provides guidance on what emergency service providers need to know about safety when caring for and transporting pediatric patients.
Backing into stations or fixed objects is one of the most common types of claims we see in the VFIS program. Having a Backing Policy in place gives members and volunteers an understanding of management’s expectations when it comes to backing. In this conversation with members of the VFIS Client Risk Solutions team, we discuss some best practices to consider when developing a backing policy.
An ambulance and crew performing a long-distance transport of a psychiatric patient may not be the most efficient use of an ESO’s resources. As an alternative, non-emergent psychiatric transport vehicles can be a safe and efficient way to transfer these individuals, requiring lower operating costs and less manpower. In This episode, Deputy Chief Jerry Schramm, B.S, EMT-P, Director of Operations for Lancaster EMS discusses his organization’s integration of these types of mental health vehicles in...
VFIS University offers quality online education and training courses for emergency responders. In this episode, Maria Lichty, ETC Distance Learning Coordinator, reviews some recent changes to the VFIS University learning management system, including enhancements and new features to come. Learn more at www.vfisu.com .
While leasing out apparatus bays, social halls, meeting spaces and pavilions can be a good source of revenue for an Emergency Services Organization, rental exposures, such as alcohol, vandalism, and slips, trips and falls also present some significant liability risks. In this episode, the Client Risk Solutions team discusses rental exposures and agreements and offers suggestions for ESOs considering renting their facilities.
Elevator rescues are not uncommon occurrences in fire response and can pose significant challenges to rescuers if they have no basic training. In this episode, Sam Clark of Clark Fire and Rescue Training addresses some of the challenges and risks of elevator rescues, from the modernization of elevator technology to deficits in this type of training. Contact Sam at ftig75@gmail.com for more information on Elevator Rescue Training opportunities and additional resources for your ESO....
Each year, the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation sponsors a national tribute to all firefighters who died in the line of duty during the previous year. Thousands attend the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend in Emmitsburg, Maryland. Join us for this episode, featuring Foundation Chairman of the Board, Troy Markel, who reflects on what this event means to him and how we can all make a difference in responder safety.
First responders see victims when they’re at their worst and don’t typically know the outcome. Who helps the responder process and manage the emotional trauma they see every day? In this episode, Jimmy Fannin, Emergency Services Chaplain and Chief Chaplain for Chaplains Corp of Lancaster County, talks about managing incident stress to help responders avoid PTSD and some of the hurdles in creating chaplaincy programs within ESOs.
What are the different types of physical damage insurance for emergency vehicles? Which may be best suited for your organization? In this episode we are discussing the concept of “Agreed Value” and how it applies to the VFIS client base. Peter Feid, Sales Executive with VFIS, and Mike Baker, Director of Client Risk Solutions for VFIS, join the program to clear up some confusion about this type of coverage, provide a better understanding of the concept and offer suggestions that clients can use a...
