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PODCAST

Life and Sirens: On and Behind the Scenes

Life and Sirens Podcast

Join paramedics as they dive into the highs and lows of real-life emergency medical services. From gripping stories on the front lines to candid discussions about the challenges and triumphs of life as a first responder, this podcast offers a raw and authentic glimpse into the world of EMS. Whether you"re in the field or just curious about the life of a paramedic, these real-life experiences and insights will keep you informed and inspired.Check out lifeandsirens.com for episode blog posts, upcoming

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All Episodes

51:49

Bradycardia & Pacing — When Slow Becomes Dangerous

Life and Sirens: On and Behind the Scenes ·

2026/01/05

Episode 60: Bradycardia & Pacing — When Slow Becomes DangerousBradycardia isn’t always the problem—until it is.In this episode, we slow things down and take a clear, practical look at bradycardia and pacing in the field. Not just the algorithm, but the why behind it. We talk through how to recognize when a slow heart rate is actually compromising perfusion, when monitoring turns into intervention, and how to make confident decisions when the patient in front of you doesn’t fit the textbook.We

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57:57

Episode 59: If This Year Were a Shift - A Reflection

Life and Sirens: On and Behind the Scenes ·

2026/01/01

If this year in EMS were a shift… what kind of shift was it?In this end-of-year reflection episode, we slow things down and take an honest look at what the year asked of us—as providers, leaders, and humans. From calls that changed how we practice medicine, to boundaries that finally held, to grief, growth, and quiet wins no one clapped for, this conversation is about taking inventory before moving forward.We talk about the lessons no class could teach, the parts of the job that felt heavier, how

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63:09

Stop Waiting for the Title: EMS Leadership Starts Now

Life and Sirens: On and Behind the Scenes ·

2025/12/29

Leadership in EMS doesn’t start in an office—it starts in the truck.In this episode, we break down what real leadership looks like long before a title, badge, or admin role ever comes into play. From how you show up on shift and communicate with your partner, to how you handle stress, feedback, and ego, we explore the everyday behaviors that signal readiness for growth.We introduce the B.O.N.D. Method—Balance, Openness, Nurture, and Direction—as a practical framework for leadership at every level of

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9:44

CHRISTMAS SPECIAL: The Night (Shift) Before...

Life and Sirens: On and Behind the Scenes ·

2025/12/24

This Christmas special isn’t about miracles wrapped in bows—it’s about the quiet, complicated reality of working EMS on Christmas Eve.Told like a storybook and lived like real life, we walk through a night on the ambulance filled with familiar calls: a Santa who trusted a ladder too much, a lonely neighbor whose symptoms weren’t on a monitor, a peppermint candy cane gone rogue, and a call that silences a room and reminds us why this job never leaves you unchanged.This episode is for the medics

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34:25

Episode 57: BiPAP vs CPAP: Siblings, Not Twins (Part 2)

Life and Sirens: On and Behind the Scenes ·

2025/12/23

CPAP and BiPAP often get lumped together in EMS—but they solve different problems. In Part 2 of this two-part series, we break down why these tools are siblings, not twins, and how choosing the right one starts with understanding what is actually failing in your patient.This episode focuses on the patients behind non-invasive ventilation. We address scenarios where your patient's condition may depend on your ability to choose appropriately between CPAP and BiPAP. By the end of Part 2, even a

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23:18

Episode 56: BiPAP vs CPAP: Siblings, Not Twins — Part 1

Life and Sirens: On and Behind the Scenes ·

2025/12/15

CPAP and BiPAP often get lumped together in EMS—but they solve different problems. In Part 1 of this two-part series, we break down why these tools are siblings, not twins, and how choosing the right one starts with understanding what is actually failing in your patient.This episode focuses on the physiology and fundamentals behind non-invasive ventilation. We strip it down to the basics: breathing has two jobs—getting oxygen in and getting carbon dioxide out—and CPAP and BiPAP help with those jobs

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50:30

Episode 55: ETCO₂ — The Real Vital Sign of Resuscitation

Life and Sirens: On and Behind the Scenes ·

2025/12/08

What if we told you there’s a number on your monitor that can predict ROSC, expose hidden shock, and even hint at metabolic acidosis before labs ever come back? In this high-energy deep dive, we break down ETCO₂ as the ultimate triad vital sign—reflecting ventilation, perfusion, and metabolism all at once—and show why it should guide your decision-making on nearly every call.Through real EMS scenarios, waveform breakdowns, case logic, and critical care pearls, we teach you how to read ETCO₂ like a

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61:06

Episode 54: EMS Rituals — Breaking the “Because We’ve...

Life and Sirens: On and Behind the Scenes ·

2025/12/01

Every EMS provider has their rituals — the interventions we do out of habit, comfort, or culture, not because the patient actually needs them. In this episode, we dig into the traditions we inherit, the habits we cling to, and the clinical judgment we should be using instead.From c-collars to “just in case” IVs to hanging O₂ like it’s emotional support therapy, we unpack where these rituals came from, why they persist, and when they quietly creep into patient care. Most importantly, we talk about

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43:40

Fireside Chat: Turkey, Trauma, and “So… What’s the...

Life and Sirens: On and Behind the Scenes ·

2025/11/27

Some people bring dessert to Thanksgiving — Lynne brings questions. In this episode, Aubrey and Jaime hand the mic to Jaime’s mom, who sits down with us armed with pure curiosity and zero EMS background… which somehow makes the conversation even better.As always, if you have a story to tell—funny, wild, heartbreaking, or unforgettable—you can share it through our website. We’d love to feature it on a future episode.Radio Reports – Listener Tales: ⁠https://lifeandsirens.com/listenertales/⁠

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53:19

Episode 52: “What Would You Do If…” — Real EMS...

Life and Sirens: On and Behind the Scenes ·

2025/11/24

Skills can be taught. Protocols can be memorized. But judgment? That only comes from the messy calls, the gray-area moments, and the split-second decisions that never look as clean as they do in the textbook.In this episode, Sophie, Aubrey, and Jaime walk through a series of high-stakes, real-world EMS scenarios — the kind that test your critical thinking, your communication, and your ability to stay calm when everything around you isn’t. From shocky trauma with unclear mechanisms, to airway

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17:44

Episode 51: Managing the (heart) Pump

Life and Sirens: On and Behind the Scenes ·

2025/11/10

In this episode, Sophie breaks down the chaos behind pressors and blood pressure meds in EMS—what they do, when to use them, and how not to panic when that BP drops or spikes.From norepinephrine (the reliable one) to nitroglycerin (the smooth talker), Sophie introduces the “main characters” of blood pressure management in the field. You’ll learn how to think in terms of tank, pump, and pipes, avoid common mistakes, and bring physiology back into focus on every call.Whether you’re new to EMS or

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47:25

Episode 50: Two Medics Walk Into a Call…

Life and Sirens: On and Behind the Scenes ·

2025/11/03

In this episode, Aubrey and Jaime sit down to talk about what it’s really like working as a double medic crew — how their partnership evolved, what changed when they both started carrying the medic patch, and the lessons they’ve learned along the way. From honest conversations to on-scene communication, they share advice for new and seasoned paramedics alike about building trust, staying adaptable, and keeping your partnership strong when the calls get tough.Because in EMS, how well you work

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12:33

Episode 49: HALLOWEEN SPECIAL

Life and Sirens: On and Behind the Scenes ·

2025/10/31

“Radio Reports”Listener Submissions: • AJ (Washington): A call that left more questions than answers — and a warning that may have followed into the next shift. • Riley (Louisiana): An eerie midnight dispatch to Hollow Creek Road, a house that won’t stay quiet, and a verse that keeps returning.Episode Highlights: • Real listener stories — unedited, true-to-voice, and chillingly real. • Discussion on the unspoken side of EMS: the calls we can’t chart and the moments that never

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30:17

Episode 47: Fireside Chat with Shay Montgomery &...

Life and Sirens: On and Behind the Scenes ·

2025/10/27

Recorded Onsite at EMS World Expo 2025In this special episode of Life and Sirens: Behind and On the Scene, we sit down on the conference-center floor… no like literally the floor… at EMS World 2025 for a fireside-style chat with Shay Montgomery, CCRN, CFRN, NR-P (better known online as @FlightNurseShay (https://www.instagram.com/flightnurseshay)) and her brother Tyler Morris, a fellow EMS professional and educator.Together, this brother-sister EMS duo brings a unique blend of experience across

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23:06

Episode 46: Airway — The First Frontier (Part 2)

Life and Sirens: On and Behind the Scenes ·

2025/10/20

They taught us how to line up the landmarks and pass a tube, but they didn’t tell us how humbling a bad view can feel at 3 a.m., or how much the little things like positioning, BVM technique, and teamwork really matter.In this Fireside Chat, we’re getting real about the airway: the basics that make or break you, the tools we love (and the ones that save you when nothing else works), the chaos vs calm of team dynamics, and the critical care lessons that remind us the tube is only the beginning. It’s

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24:00

Episode 45: Airway — The First Frontier

Life and Sirens: On and Behind the Scenes ·

2025/10/13

They taught us how to line up the landmarks and pass a tube, but they didn’t tell us how humbling a bad view can feel at 3 a.m., or how much the little things like positioning, BVM technique, and teamwork really matter.In this Fireside Chat, we’re getting real about the airway: the basics that make or break you, the tools we love (and the ones that save you when nothing else works), the chaos vs calm of team dynamics, and the critical care lessons that remind us the tube is only the beginning. It’s

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34:39

Episode 44: EMS - The Learning Curve No One Talks About

Life and Sirens: On and Behind the Scenes ·

2025/10/06

They taught us about STEMIs and scene safety—but they didn’t mention crying in the ambulance bay, learning how to nap in a stairwell, or just how weird 3 a.m. really gets. In this episode, we get real about the things we didn’t know when we started in EMS. From the emotional weight to the unspoken culture, the moments that make you question everything, and the small victories no one teaches you to celebrate—this is the stuff that doesn’t always make it into the textbook. Whether you’re new to the

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28:37

Episode 43: Don’t Give Nitro If… and Other Lies We’ve...

Life and Sirens: On and Behind the Scenes ·

2025/07/28

In this episode, we’re busting some of the most common medical myths floating around EMS—and breaking down the why behind what we should be doing instead. From misunderstood medications to outdated practices that just won’t die, we’re digging into the evidence, the history, and the truth behind those things you’ve heard on shift a hundred times. Because good medicine means questioning what you think you know.As always, if you have a story to tell—funny, wild, heartbreaking, or unforgettable—you can

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25:05

Episode 42: Deep Water - Understanding Fatal and...

Life and Sirens: On and Behind the Scenes ·

2025/07/21

Drownings don’t always look like the movies—and not all of them end at the scene. In this episode, we dive into the complexities of fatal and non-fatal drownings, including what actually happens physiologically, how presentations can vary, and why even a seemingly minor water rescue deserves a thorough assessment. We talk about key red flags, delayed complications, and the importance of early intervention and post-rescue care. Whether it’s a medical lake call or a toddler pulled from a pool, this

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34:42

Episode 41: Minutes Matter - The Scene Time Balancing...

Life and Sirens: On and Behind the Scenes ·

2025/07/14

When does staying on scene help your patient—and when does it just waste precious minutes? In this episode, we tackle the art (and reality) of managing scene times. We dig into the tough calls about what interventions are actually worth it before transport, what can safely wait until you’re rolling, and how to keep your patient’s best interest at the center of every decision. From trauma to medical calls, we share real-world examples, common pitfalls, and how to balance patient care with scene

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