Chris & Spencer - EMS 20/20 (RideAlong Interview)

In this special interview episode of the RideAlong: EMT School Podcast, we sit down with Chris Pfingsten and Spencer Oliver, the hosts of the hit podcast EMS 20/20.

Chris and Spencer join us to talk about their individual paths into EMS, how their friendship evolved through paramedic school, and how those experiences ultimately shaped the creation of EMS 20/20. Along the way, we dive into real-world EMS decision-making, the realities of working with limited resources, why classroom learning still matters, and how randomness and chaos are part of every call — sometimes literally decided by a 20-sided die.

As always, the conversation takes a few entertaining detours into movie references, questionable ambulance memories, fictional EMS worlds, and the kind of gallows humor that only makes sense if you’ve worn gloves at 3 a.m.

This episode is packed with insight for EMT students, seasoned providers, and anyone curious about what EMS really looks like beyond the textbook.

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Episode Breakdown

00:00 – Welcome & special guest introduction

02:00 – Name pronunciations, Hollywood Video memories, and early EMS stories

09:45 – First calls, rookie nerves, and “how sweaty were you?”

15:00 – Chris & Spencer’s paths into EMS and paramedic school

23:00 – Humor, coping mechanisms, and being misunderstood in EMS

26:30 – Ambulance types, vomit floods, and operational competence

33:00 – Building EMS 20/20 and why randomness matters in learning

01:09:00 – Classroom vs real-world medicine and the value of new EMTs

01:12:00 – Resource-rich vs resource-limited systems and decision-making

01:33:00 – In-flight medical emergencies and what actually happens

01:37:00 – EMS in fictional worlds (Middle-earth, Gotham, and Florida)

01:44:00 – Final thoughts, encouragement, and closing reflections

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⚠️ 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.

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🚑 RideAlong: EMT School Links

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I Don’t Need Your Civil Warfarin – Hematologic & Renal Emergencies

Some of the most dangerous emergencies in EMS don’t look dramatic when you first arrive on scene. In this episode, we dive into hematologic and renal emergencies — the “quiet” problems involving blood, kidneys, dialysis, and anticoagulants that can deteriorate rapidly if key details are missed.

Mike, Max, and Jonathan break down how blood and kidney function are deeply connected, why blood thinners deserve immediate respect, and how missed dialysis, fistulas, and fluid imbalance can turn a routine call into a critical one. This episode emphasizes patient history, secondary assessment, and recognizing subtle red flags that matter just as much as vitals.

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Episode Breakdown

00:00 – Intro, episode title, and catching up

29:06 – Overview of hematologic and renal emergencies

30:46 – Medical Term of the Week: Blood Thinners

48:40 – Blood disorders, anticoagulants, and EMS implications

01:12:00 – Renal emergencies, dialysis patients, and fistula considerations

01:43:30 – Missed dialysis, rapid deterioration, and transport decisions

01:45:34 – Student Tip of the Week: Secondary assessment and patient history

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⚠️ 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.

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🚑 RideAlong: EMT School Links

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Step Back From That Ledge My Friend (Psychiatric Emergencies)

Psychiatric and behavioral emergencies are some of the most complex, emotionally charged calls EMS providers will ever respond to. In this episode, we take a deep dive into mental health crises, suicide, and behavioral emergencies—why they’re becoming more common, how they present in the field, and how EMTs can approach these patients safely, professionally, and with empathy.

Drawing from both textbook fundamentals and real-world experience, we break down how to recognize a true mental health emergency, how to communicate with patients in crisis, and why these calls can escalate quickly if warning signs are missed. We also tackle excited delirium as our Medical Term of the Week, discuss involuntary holds, scene safety, and documentation, and wrap with an important reminder that EMS providers are not immune to mental health struggles themselves.

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Episode Breakdown

00:00 – Intro, life updates, and setting the tone

12:06 – Overview of psychiatric emergencies, mental health crisis, and suicide

19:09 – Medical Term of the Week: Excited Delirium

36:28 – Recognizing behavioral emergencies and red flags

43:04 – Triggers vs. causes in mental health crises

01:11:22 – Assessing mental status and patient communication

01:47:23 – Involuntary holds, documentation, and legal considerations

02:07:34 – Tools of the Trade: Airway adjuncts

02:07:53 – Student Tip of the Week: EMS provider mental health and asking for help

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⚠️ 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.

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🚑 RideAlong: EMT School Links

www.ridealong.bulletn.net