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

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Let The Fear Take the Wheel and Steer (Graduation & EVOC)

In this episode, we’re officially on the other side of EMT school — but not without one last gut check. We break down our EVOC experience, what we thought emergency vehicle operations would be versus what actually matters, and why “due regard” isn’t just a legal phrase — it’s a mindset. We also reflect on graduation, testing anxiety, and the strange emotional whiplash of finally being done… and immediately thinking about what’s next.

From cone courses and uncomfortable realizations to why slowing down can actually save more lives, this one ties together the end of EMT school with the beginning of real-world responsibility.

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Episode Breakdown

00:00 – Intro, EVOC nerves, and expectations vs reality

50:55 – Graduation, practical exams, and NREMT head games

01:29:40 - Medical Term of the Week: Due Regard

01:46:03 - EVOC After Action Report

01:54:45 – Tools of the Trade: ANSI / NZ 107 High-Visibility Safety Vest

02:04:40 – Student Tip of the Week: Scene safety isn’t optional — make yourself visible

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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

ROSC You Like a Hurricane (Resuscitation)

Resuscitation is one of the heaviest and most misunderstood topics in EMS. In this episode, we break down what resuscitation really looks like in the prehospital environment — from recognizing cardiac arrest and organizing a response, to understanding rhythms, defibrillation, and when transport versus continued on-scene care makes sense. We also talk candidly about expectations, teamwork, and what “success” really means in resuscitation.

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Episode Breakdown

00:00:08 – Intro, shoutouts, and dedication

00:15:18 – A message from our sponsor: Master Medical Equipment

00:22:02 – Medical Term of the Week: Triangle of Life

00:35:42 – Main topic discussion: Resuscitation

01:49:00 – When do we stop? Termination of resuscitation, protocols, and medical direction

02:08:11 – Tools of the Trade: AED (Sponsored by Master Medical Equipment + Defibtech)

02:33:54 – Student Tip of the Week: Take a CPR/AED class

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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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Four Quadrant Death Hunch (Abdominal Emergencies)

Abdominal pain is one of the most common — and most underestimated — complaints in EMS. In this episode, we break down abdominal emergencies through anatomy, assessment, and red flags that should immediately raise concern. From peritonitis and appendicitis to abdominal aortic aneurysms and referred pain, we focus on what EMTs need to recognize early and why “just belly pain” is never something to ignore.

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Episode Breakdown

00:00 – Intro and episode setup

03:30 – Why abdominal emergencies are difficult to assess in the field

31:45 – Medical Term of the Week: Peritonitis

44:55 – Abdominal quadrants, anatomy, and what organs live where

50:45 – Peritoneum vs retroperitoneal space and why it matters

58:15 – Types of abdominal pain, including referred pain

01:19:00 – Abdominal aortic aneurysm and life-threatening red flags

01:51:00 – Tools of the Trade: Thermometers and recognizing infection/sepsis

02:05:30 – Student Tip of the Week: Never dismiss abdominal pain

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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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The Bitter Taste of Poison (Poisonings & Overdose)

Poisonings and overdoses are some of the most common — and most dangerous — calls EMS providers will face. In this episode, we break down how poisons affect the body, the different routes of exposure, and how EMTs recognize and manage overdose emergencies in the field. We also talk toxic syndromes, scene safety, and why airway management and rapid transport always come first.

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Episode Breakdown

00:00 – Intro and episode overview

06:50 – Overdoses vs poisonings and why both matter in EMS

18:10 – Medical Term of the Week: Toxidromes

34:00 – Routes of exposure: ingestion, inhalation, absorption, injection

1:17:30 – Real-world overdose call and first code experience

1:36:00 – Tools of the Trade: Naloxone (Narcan)

1:50:25 – Student Tip of the Week: Scene safety in poisonings and overdoses

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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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Get Down with the Sepsis (Infectious Disease & Sepsis)

In this episode of RideAlong: EMT School, Mike and Jonathan break down infectious diseases and sepsis, focusing on what sepsis actually is, why early recognition matters, and how EMTs play a critical role in patient outcomes. Real-world transport experience, historical context, and EMS-focused decision-making come together to turn a dense topic into something practical and memorable.

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Episode Breakdown

00:00 – Intro, ride time updates, and missing Max formation

08:45 – Real-world sepsis case and transport medicine perspective

14:40 – Medical Term of the Week: What sepsis actually is

30:20 – SIRS criteria, EMS recognition, and sepsis alerts

38:00 – Infectious diseases and routes of transmission

54:35 – PPE, exposure risks, and provider safety

02:01:00 – Student Tip of the Week: PPE and hand hygiene

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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