EMS World Expo from 35,000 Feet

You know, it would not be EMS World Expo if I did not share a recap during my plane ride home.  Right now, we are at a cruising altitude of about 35,000 feet somewhere over Wisconsin en route back home from my layover in Minneapolis.  There is some light turbulance, but it really is not that bad.  The trip home is more than half over, and I should be on the ground in about an hour and a half, so lets get right to it.

EMS World Expo, as it was known as this year, was sponsored once again by EMS World Magazine.  The Zoll Blogger Bash that was held Tuesday night was an incredible time that you can read about here.  Wednesday, all of the hard work started.

Just like last year’s trip to Dallas, my three days at the convention center were busy ones, but in a very different way.  I did not get to take as many classes as I did last year, but I made the most of the ones that I did make it to.  A majority of my time was spent on the floor, and more specifically, at the Podcasting Studio and Social Media Lounge.  Each day, I was on a show, and I even got to do two of them on Friday.

Wednesday, I pinch hit for Chris Ceballero on EMS Leadership and got a chance to have a fascinating interview with Bob Loftus about the traveling  EMS Museum.  Thursday was First Few Moments.  Our topic could be most simply described as enviornmental safety, an expansion on scene safety.  How does one handle themselves and stay safe when the potential scene expands from a few hundred feet to possibly a few hundred miles?

Friday I joined Natalie Quebodeaux on the Gen Med Show for a discussion that started with finding the right fit for the provider, and seemed to expand to changing the entire field to better fit the provider.  It was a fascinating discussion featuring Natalie, Sam Bradley, Anne Robinson (better known as @CaringAnne on Twitter) and I that is a must listen for anyone who is new to the field.  There were some points that were hit during that show that I must blog about in the near future, so watch for that.

Finally, I was on the wrap up show for the Expo with Chris Montera.  I was very excited because as part of my participation, I got to pick my favorite product from the exhibit hall floor and give them a chance to do a spot on the show.  Todd Mckinney, the president of IntuBrite joined us to talk about his company’s new laryngascope blades.  If you have not seen them yet, I suggest you check them out.  The blades feature not only an LED, but an ultra violet light as well which really enhances that view that a provider can get while intubating.  Identifying anatomical structures is much easier which is vital with those more difficult airways.

Now, I must be honest, the conference was in Las Vegas this year, and I challenge anyone to find someone who thinks that Vegas is an “in bed by 9pm sharp” kind of town.  The nights were late, and the times were good.  A lot of the “usual suspects” were there, as well as a number of first time conference attendees.  As usual, the social media group bonded and stuck together.  There were late nights of swapping stories over frosty beverages, trips up to the strip, and even a wedding!  (Congratulations to Amanda and PJ, we are all so happy for you.)  The atmosphere was such that I expect to be dealing with a nasty case of Post Conference Depression Syndrome for about the next week.

The highlights of the conference itself for me though were the focus on social media and a large “EMS 2.0” presence.

Thursday night, EMS World Magazine hosted a party at the Planet Hollywood.  Much like the Texas-style Bar-B-Q that was held last year, the event did not disappoint, but there was a twist this time.  Planet Hollywood has a number of large screen televisions throughout the establishment.  They were not streaming videos, or even the Red Sox/Yankees game.  On each of them was the EMS World twitter feed posted via Tweetdeck.  As the night went on, a number of people could be seen checking out their tweets as well as the ones posted by their friends.  Many laughs were shared, and the good times that were had at the party were catalogued on the internet for everyone to see.  Thanks to EMS World for doing the right thing and embracing Social Media the way that they have.

Finally, there was a lot of buzz about EMS 2.0.  I heard people talking about it, and defining it for themselves, using it as a way to drive change, which is exactly what it is intended for.  Also, I was happy to see the EMS 2.0 pin logo in a few spots as well.  The one that I was most excited about was its presence at the iPCR booth as part of their video.  This is a great new product that is set to revolutionize the world of ePCRs.  Its a terrific platform which is designed by EMS providers for EMS providers.  If you have an iPAD, check out the APP store to download their free demo and play around with it a bit.  You will be hooked in no time.

The turbulence is settled, and the flight attendant is just about here with my drink, so I think it is time to sit back, relax, and enjoy the rest of the flight.  Before I go though, I must say that as I attend each of these major conferences, the stakes just keep getting higher, and the younger providers who are poised to take the reins and shape the future of EMS.  This is a pivotal time for our industry as we strive to redefine our careers.  The time is now to get involved, and the time is now to leave your mark on the industry.