What’s Your Emergency

Latest Episodes:

Kari Dickerson and the Freedom House Paramedics Nov 30, 2022

Show notes

It's Friday night in the summer of 1972 and a new NBC show called "Emergency!" captivates Americans with the idea of little half trained Doctors called "Paramedics" treating patients before taking them to the hospital. For decades we were told they were the first, the OG, the father's of modern EMS.

But did you know they weren't even close to the first?

Father of CPR Dr Safar and Freedom House Paramedics

This week we invite EMS educator, Paramedic and historian Kari Dickerson to discuss the Freedom House Paramedic program launched in 1967, a full 5 years ahead of those Hollywood fellas out west.

Freedom House trained 25 men and women, all African American, to serve the Hill community in Pittsburgh, PA since local authorities were not sending resources into this community of color.

After all, it isn't like 1967 was a troubling time to talk about, right? Smack dab in the middle of the Civil Rights movement a community came together to help their own and, in doing so, changed countless lives and saving, arguably, millions.

Have you met the first Cop? The first Firefighter? Of course not, those tasks have been around for hundreds of years. Our guest this week has met the First Paramedics and that's just amazing.

You can learn more about Freedom House HERE and get involved in sharing the story.

This week, we cover:

How shaking Setla's hand means you are an EMS OG
That EMS was born out of the battlefields of Korea and Vietnam
Why Freedom House existed and how they got into the ambulance business
Learn your history, share it. It matters.

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Ask MC: Reality vs. Expectations in First Responder Land Nov 23, 2022

Show notes

Justin got an interesting question at the firehouse recently so of course he waits until the microphones are on to Ask MC the same question.

On the way to that question we get sidetracked in true WYE fashion and discuss a video sent in from Brendan about never talking to the Police as well as more hilarious things MC has been offered, for free, as part of his Amazon reviewing spree.

This week's shenanigans include:

Reality vs expectations looking backwards over 20 years of service
How we aren't paid to do certain tasks, we're paid to be ready to perform any task
That the bit about remaining silent in the Miranda Rights is important
What MC might do with a cattle prod

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We said, "Get a hobby." We did not say, "Sell illegal firearms." Nov 16, 2022

Show notes

Just in case you thought our semi regular series on cops behaving badly was taking a hiatus, in comes some news from a couple of PDs local to the studio.

According to the story on Police 1 and in local media outlets, a few Officers have found new and interesting ways to screw up. From the investigation into possibly conspiring to assault people comes evidence of theft of firearms, falsifying police reports to steal and resell firearms and even one Police volunteer who simply walked off with "thousands of gun parts and ammunition".

This week's story reminds us that this job can be easy if you let it.

This week, we cover:

How working a single overtime will likely net you more than selling a stolen AR
Why hiring screening isn't catching these criminals before they get a badge
That this is not, guaranteed not, the first time they've tried this
How stupid you have to be to text on a department phone about committing crimes

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Thanks for listening and please share the show!

The Difference Between "Service" and "Support" Animals Nov 09, 2022

Show notes

We've all seen the stories about the emotional support peacocks and little fluffy emotional support purse sized dogs but are there any actual regulations when it comes to service animals? Indeed there are and, like most encounters with the public, the first person to say they know the law is usually wrong.

This week we find out because Justin (the one who isn't retired) had a call with a very angry person who was convinced any animal can be a service animal if you want them to be. And while your hosts are the first to acknowledge the therapeutic benefits of having a furry friend to talk to, they are also the first to remind you that therapy dogs are not service animals, no matter what tag or harness you find online.

This week we cover:

Jason's new Amazon ordering hobby
What the ADA has to say about service animals
How Justin sat and watched a movie with a patient
Why calling animal control isn't always the best solution

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Are Eyewitnesses or Confessions Infallible or Reliable? Nov 02, 2022

Show notes

In a TED talk in Scotland, Elizabeth Loftus shares some of her research about memory, explaining how a man was accused and convicted of rape despite no evidence other than the victim saying initially "He looks the most like the guy." Trouble is, come trial and the victim is 100% sure it was a man who didn't commit the crime. He is convicted and spends a year in prison before the true assailant is found by a journalist, not police. How can that be?

Well, it turns out, humans aren't very good at recollecting things AS THEY HAPPENED. Loftus goes on to explain how memory is more like Wikipedia, in that it can be changed and influenced from both inside and out. Check out the TED talk here.

On the heels of this revelation about the brain, we also discuss the writings and research of Dr Saul Kassin and his amazing data about false confessions and why so many people, including jurys, believe them over anything else.

It really makes you wonder what can be trusted, if anything at all.

This week we cover:

Research that shows memory is more like Wikipedia
Examples of when witnesses were entirely wrong, yet convinced they were correct
That PD can lie all they want during interviews
Sometimes getting the case moving on isn't worth an innocent life

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LEO and Paramedic Sean Eddy and his Tik Tok Lawyer Rant Oct 26, 2022

Show notes

Old friend and friend of the show, Sean Eddy first met us back in the Chronicles of EMS days as a Paramedic. Skip ahead a decade and he's living his best life as a Police Officer in Texas while still working EMS on the side. Add to that an impressive stretch as a guitarist and musician and he's the perfect guest for WYE, especially with a recent rant about TikTok lawyers.

In Sean's post he mentions that his job would be so much easier if driver's weren't taking bad advice from Tik Tok Lawyers and the comments were hilarious so we fired up the microphones and got him to elaborate on some of the interactions that keep him scratching his head.

This week we talk about:

How the people who scream "I know my rights!" usually don't
When and how to finally pull over if signaled to do so by lights and siren
That Texas is a big, odd place, especially at 3 AM
That your hosts can almost predict your car and clothing based on your interaction with Police

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Thanks for listening and please share the show!

Suicide on the Rise Oct 19, 2022

Show notes

Suicide.

It isn't an easy topic to talk about for sure but one that needs to be referenced from time to time. There are 3 distinct viewpoints on suicide with small variations but your opinion on suicide boils down to 3 main categories:

It's a selfish thing to do and no one in their right mind would do it.
Everything would just be better without me around.
You're not 1 but you can see how people believe 2.

Suicide doesn't come from horrible thoughts, hopelessness or anything else you can define. We all have demons we're fighting, some are just bigger and friendlier than others.

If you believe you may be close to considering self harm, please reach out to get help. Dial 988 for emergency help or reach out to strangers for guidance. They can get you away from that number 2 option above. There is nothing wrong with having these feelings, but the longer you keep them inside the more chances they have to steer you away from a healthy resolution.

National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 800-273-TALK (8255)

This week we talk about:

The increasing volume of military and law enforcement suicides
The spectrum of feelings that can lead to acceptance of self harm as an option
Ways to reach out and ask for help, even if it just means talking to someone
All joking aside, if you've reached option 2 call the number above. We'll be glad you did.

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Thanks for listening and please share the show!

Justin's Therapy Hobby Oct 12, 2022

Show notes

For years, Fire and EMS expert and co-host of the show, Justin Schorr, has been in and out of stressful situations, therapy, you name it, trying to recover from a variety of issues. While the issues are complex, the solutions seemed to be simple:

Get a hobby.

"Sure, that's easy, I'll take up knitting or start scoring baseball statistics. For years I never had a hobby. I'd go to work, get stressed, then write about it on my blog. Well, that came to a sudden stop and this podcast isn't about all of my problems."

Justin at his antique booth

This week, law enforcement expert Jason Hoschouer asks about Justin's new hobby and golly, Bob, Howdy is he going big with it.

This week we talk about:

The importance of an escape from work and family life
Finding that thing you don't think of as a hobby and making it more purposeful
You don't have to monetize your hobby to be happy
How Justin is totally monetizing this hobby

Support the show

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Thanks for listening and please share the show!

STUMP MC - Crash, Boom, Bang Oct 05, 2022

Show notes

Fresh on the heels of a recent show about Fire Engines crashing into things, WYE brings you another world famous episode of Stump MC!

HM has prepared 3 questions to try to stump MC with stories from EMS, Fire, Military, Police and Disaster Preparedness.

We are now also starting a new scoreboard! So only to be fair (TOOOOO BE FAIIIIIIR!) I, as score master, hereby erase all scores and we start new, with each correct answer being worth 1/8 of 1 Dabloon. And, as still score master, I hereby refuse to keep score because fractions are hard.

Which can you get right?!

Well, how did you do on our quiz? Did we stump you?

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5 Fire Engines, 2 Collisions and 1 Big Hill Sep 28, 2022

Show notes

It has been a big year for fire engines crashing into things and your heroes at WYE Radio are on the case! This week we watch video from Patterson, NJ where 2 Engines collide responding to a fire call leaving 8 injured.

This story of Engine on Engine crime is reminiscent of a story from San Francisco where 2 Engines collided there. And of course we can't talk about damaged Fire Engines without mentioning the story from San Francisco this week of the Engine that rolled down a hill during the morning checks.

Pay attention. Slow Down.

This week we talk about: