Chest and abdominal trauma can rapidly become life-threatening, even when injuries aren’t immediately obvious. In this episode, we break down blunt and penetrating trauma affecting the thoracic and abdominal cavities, focusing on injuries that can compromise breathing, circulation, and major organ function.

We discuss pneumothorax, hemothorax, flail chest, internal bleeding, and solid organ injuries, along with how mechanisms of injury help guide suspicion for hidden complications. Understanding how the lungs, heart, diaphragm, liver, spleen, and major blood vessels can be affected allows EMTs to recognize critical findings early and prioritize rapid transport.

Trauma assessment is about pattern recognition, reassessment, and knowing when something doesn’t look right — even if vital signs haven’t changed yet.

--------------------------------------

Visit our sponsor, SAM Medical!

https://www.SAMMedical.com

--------------------------------------

Episode Breakdown

00:00:00 – Intro / episode setup

00:07:01 – Sponsor Message: SAM Medical

00:19:03 – Overview of chest trauma and respiratory compromise

00:27:15 – Medical Term of the Week: Flail Chest

00:29:29 – Anatomy and physiology of breathing and chest cavity

00:50:16 – Mechanisms of injury: blunt vs penetrating trauma

00:58:16 – Pain, breathing complications, and patient positioning

01:43:03 – Tools of the Trade: Chest Seals / Occlusive Dressings (SAM Chest Seal)

01:57:30 – Student Tip and Test Prep

02:00:00 – Episode wrap-up

--------------------------------------

⚠️ Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and storytelling purposes only. It is not medical advice or official EMT training. Always follow your accredited instructors and local protocols.

--------------------------------------

🚑 RideAlong: EMT School Links

www.ridealong.bulletn.net

This is Spinal Snap (Neck and Spinal Trauma)

Neck and spinal injuries can be subtle, devastating, and easy to miss — making them one of the highest-stakes assessments an EMT will perform. In this episode, we break down spinal anatomy, mechanisms of injury, red flags for spinal cord involvement, and when spinal motion restriction is appropriate. We also discuss how spinal cord injuries can affect breathing, circulation, sensation, and long-term function, plus how neurogenic shock changes the way the body responds to trauma.

Understanding how and why spinal injuries occur helps you make better decisions in the field and avoid causing additional harm during assessment, movement, and transport.

--------------------------------------

Episode Breakdown

00:00:00 – Intro / episode setup

00:21:05 – Lead-in to spinal motion restriction discussion

00:21:49 – Medical Term of the Week: Neurogenic Shock

00:32:37 – Anatomy of the spine (cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacrum)

00:37:24 – Vulnerability of the neck and mechanism of injury concepts

01:11:13 – BLS assessment considerations and spinal motion restriction decision-making

01:52:28 – Student Tip and Test Prep

01:53:41 – Episode wrap-up

--------------------------------------

⚠️ Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and storytelling purposes only. It is not medical advice or official EMT training. Always follow your accredited instructors and local protocols.

--------------------------------------

🚑 RideAlong: EMT School Links

www.ridealong.bulletn.net

Head injuries can change everything in an instant. In this episode, we break down head and skull trauma, including traumatic brain injuries, skull fractures, and why bleeding or swelling inside the skull can quickly become life-threatening.

Mike, Max, and Jonathon discuss mechanisms of injury, signs of increased intracranial pressure, and the importance of identifying subtle neurological changes early. From coup-contrecoup injuries to recognizing deteriorating mental status, this episode emphasizes assessment priorities that help prevent secondary brain injury.

--------------------------------------

Episode Breakdown

00:00 – Intro, episode setup, and overview of head trauma

28:35 – Medical Term of the Week: Cushing’s Triad

37:20 – Anatomy review: skull, brain, and protective structures

55:10 – Mechanisms of injury and traumatic brain injury concepts

01:18:40 – Skull fractures, bleeding, and intracranial pressure

01:43:55 – Patient assessment priorities and reassessment

01:56:20 – Tools of the Trade: Penlight for pupil assessment

02:06:30 – Student Tip of the Week: Test Prep Questions

--------------------------------------

⚠️ Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and storytelling purposes only. It is not medical advice or official EMT training. Always follow your accredited instructors and local protocols.

--------------------------------------

🚑 RideAlong: EMT School Links

www.ridealong.bulletn.net

Great tools don’t just show up in EMS — they’re built by people who understand the problems providers face in the field. In this episode, we sit down with Bob Waddell from SAM Medical to talk about the evolution of hemorrhage control, product design, and what it takes to create equipment that actually works when it matters most.

We dive into the story behind SAM Medical, the development of tools like the SAM XT tourniquet and SAM splint, and how real-world feedback from EMS, military, and law enforcement continues to shape innovation. This conversation is all about bridging the gap between the classroom, the street, and the gear we trust to save lives.

--------------------------------------

Check out SAM Medical

https://www.SAMmedical.com

Reach out to Bob!

bob.waddell@sammedical.com

--------------------------------------

Episode Breakdown

00:00 – Intro and guest introduction

08:45 – Bob Waddell’s background and path into SAM Medical

22:10 – The evolution of hemorrhage control and tourniquet design

41:30 – SAM Medical products: SAM XT, SAM Splint, and innovation process

01:05:20 – Real-world application and lessons from the field

01:24:10 – Advice for new EMS providers and students

01:36:40 – Closing thoughts and where to learn more

--------------------------------------

⚠️ Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and storytelling purposes only. It is not medical advice or official EMT training. Always follow your accredited instructors and local protocols.

--------------------------------------

🚑 RideAlong: EMT School Links

www.ridealong.bulletn.net

Bones break. Joints dislocate. Ligaments stretch and tear. In this episode, Mike, Max, and Jonathan dive into musculoskeletal trauma, one of the most common injury categories EMS providers encounter. The crew breaks down the anatomy of the musculoskeletal system, the difference between fractures, sprains, strains, and dislocations, and how EMTs assess and stabilize extremity injuries in the field.

Along the way, they explore compartment syndrome, the six P’s of extremity injury, traction splints, pelvic stabilization, and the real-world priorities of splinting without delaying lifesaving care.

This episode also features a Tools of the Trade segment sponsored by SAM Medical, where the team looks at one of the most recognizable pieces of equipment in EMS: the SAM Splint — a simple but incredibly versatile tool used to immobilize fractures and stabilize injured limbs in the field.

--------------------------------------

Visit our sponsor, SAM Medical!

https://www.SAMMedical.com

--------------------------------------

Episode Breakdown

00:00 — Episode intro

01:44 — Sponsor spotlight: SAM Medical

07:43 — Catch-up and EMS stories from the field

28:05 — Medical Term of the Week: The Six P’s

30:09 — Compartment syndrome

50:08 — Chapter discussion: Musculoskeletal Trauma

01:25:12 — Assessment priorities, life threats, and splinting principles

01:45:26 — Pelvic injuries and pelvic binders

01:50:10 — Femur fractures and traction splints

02:05:02 — Tools of the Trade: The SAM Splint

02:15:22 — Student Tip of the Week: NREMT practice questions

02:34:23 — Episode wrap-up

--------------------------------------

⚠️ Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and storytelling purposes only. It is not medical advice or official EMT training. Always follow your accredited instructors and local protocols.

--------------------------------------

🚑 RideAlong: EMT School Links

www.ridealong.bulletn.net

Burn injuries are some of the most dramatic trauma patients EMS providers encounter — but the real danger often isn’t the burn itself. In this episode, we break down the different types of burns, how to assess burn severity, and why airway compromise, fluid loss, and infection risk make burn patients especially dangerous.

Mike, Max, and Jonathan walk through thermal, chemical, and electrical burns, the difference between superficial and full-thickness injuries, and how tools like the Rule of Nines help providers quickly estimate burn severity in the field. From scene safety to cooling burns and recognizing when a patient needs rapid transport to a burn center, this episode focuses on the priorities that matter most during burn emergencies.

--------------------------------------

Episode Breakdown

00:00 – Intro, sponsor shoutouts, and episode setup

16:35 – Overview of burn injuries and why they’re high risk

28:10 – Medical Term of the Week: Rule of Nines

44:20 – Types of burns: thermal, chemical, electrical, and radiation

01:12:10 – Burn severity, airway risks, and complications

01:37:25 – Tools of the Trade: Burn Sheets / Burn Blankets

01:51:40 – Student Tip of the Week: Burn assessment basics

--------------------------------------

⚠️ Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and storytelling purposes only. It is not medical advice or official EMT training. Always follow your accredited instructors and local protocols.

--------------------------------------

🚑 RideAlong: EMT School Links

www.ridealong.bulletn.net

Soft tissue injuries are some of the most common calls in EMS — and some of the easiest to underestimate. In this episode, we break down contusions, abrasions, lacerations, hematomas, crush injuries, and bleeding control, focusing on what’s happening beneath the surface and why even “minor” trauma can become serious if reassessment is ignored.

Mike and Max walk through DCAP-BTLS, distraction injuries, shock risk, swelling, and the importance of repeated physical exams. The big takeaway: soft tissue trauma might not scream at you — but it can absolutely sneak up on you.

--------------------------------------

Check out our sponsor!!!

www.MicroDotCS.com

--------------------------------------

Episode Breakdown

00:00 – Intro, sponsor shoutout, and episode setup

14:10 – Overview of soft tissue trauma and assessment priorities

22:15 – Medical Term of the Week: DCAP-BTLS

35:50 – Contusions, abrasions, lacerations, and bleeding control

01:18:45 – Shock, internal bleeding concerns, and reassessment

01:55:50 – Tools of the Trade: Cold Packs (Sponsored by microdot / Cambridge Sensor)

01:57:00 – Student Tip of the Week: 5-Question NREMT Test Prep Quiz

--------------------------------------

⚠️ Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and storytelling purposes only. It is not medical advice or official EMT training. Always follow your accredited instructors and local protocols.

--------------------------------------

🚑 RideAlong: EMT School Links

www.ridealong.bulletn.net

In this special interview episode of the RideAlong: EMT School Podcast, we’re joined by Dr. John Croushorn, Emergency Medicine Physician, Founder and Chief Medical Officer of Compression Works, and co-inventor of the AAJT-S.

Dr. Croushorn sits down with us to discuss the AAJT-S (Abdominal Aortic and Junctional Tourniquet – Stabilized) — what it is, why it was developed, and where it fits into the management of severe, life-threatening hemorrhage when standard extremity tourniquets aren’t enough. We break down junctional and truncal bleeding, device indications, physiologic effects, and the realities of deploying advanced hemorrhage control tools in high-stress environments.

The conversation also explores how devices like the AAJT-S translate from military and tactical medicine into civilian EMS, the challenges of training and decision-making around low-frequency / high-consequence tools, and what EMTs and paramedics should understand about hemorrhage control beyond “tourniquet goes high and tight.”

This episode is an honest, practical discussion about capability, limitations, and clinical judgment — and what it actually looks like when advanced bleeding control meets the real world.

--------------------------------------

Check out the AAJT-S from Compression Works!

https://compressionworks.com/

--------------------------------------

Episode Breakdown

00:00 – Introduction & welcoming Dr. Croushorn

03:45 – Background in emergency medicine and device development

08:30 – The problem of junctional and truncal hemorrhage

14:00 – What the AAJT-S is and how it works

21:00 – Indications, contraindications, and physiologic considerations

29:30 – Civilian vs military use cases for junctional tourniquets

38:00 – Training challenges with low-frequency, high-risk devices

47:15 – Decision-making under pressure and hemorrhage prioritization

56:00 – Where tools like the AAJT-S fit in modern EMS systems

01:04:30 – Advice for EMTs encountering severe bleeding scenarios

01:12:00 – Final thoughts on hemorrhage control and preparedness

--------------------------------------

⚠️ Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and storytelling purposes only. It is not medical advice or official EMT training. Always follow your accredited instructors and local protocols.

--------------------------------------

🚑 RideAlong: EMT School Links

www.ridealong.bulletn.net