By: Sean Ewen, MD, Executive DirectorMedical certification exams, especially in the EMS field, are known for their challenging multiple choice questions. Preparing a strategy, and practicing it, is necessary to excel in these exams. Here is my method for answering these questions. Also available below is a video presentation of this method.1. Don’t look at…

By: Marven Ewen, MD, Medical DirectorTraumatic injuries can be broadly categorized by whether they are blunt or penetrating. Both can result in significant morbidity and mortality. Visible bleeding certainly gets our attention, but always remember that blunt trauma can result in massive unseen blood loss internally. After ensuring scene safety and PPE, your approach to…

By: Sean Ewen, MD, Executive DirectorI know, I know, it’s the one of the worst parts of applying for a job and you’re probably asking yourself who reads those things anyway. And you’re mostly right – about 83% of employers either skip past the cover letter or their application software system filters it out. But…

By: Marven Ewen, MD, Medical DirectorAgriculture is an occupation with a relatively high risk of injury. Common machine and tractor related injuries include penetrating injuries, degloving, amputation, and roll over injuries. Chemicals and storage silos also present risk. Blunt trauma and crush injuries can be seen related to livestock. To compound the risk, most of…

By: Joanne Ewen, JD, EMT, DOT-I, Director of EducationYou’re walking along, about to step into the pedestrian crosswalk on a green light, when out of nowhere a car screeches around the corner and rushes past just inches from you. You stop, put a hand on your chest as if to hold in your pounding heart,…

By: Jenny Ewen, BA, EMT, Marketing & Student ServicesNow that it’s summer time and you’ll be (hopefully) spending some time outside under the hot sun, it’s extra vital that you get enough water. While the push to drink more water has made its way into mainstream media and lots of people routinely carry water bottles…

On April 29th, we hosted a party to celebrate our 6 year company anniversary, and also unveiled our brand new training ambulance! Attendees ate, drank (James’s homemade beer!), and checked out our facility and the new ambulance – then they went home with some free swag! A huge thank you to everyone who attended the…

By: Joanne Ewen, JD, EMT, DOT-I, K9 HandlerNorthstar SAR Team requires each handler to be a SAR Technician II, and just last weekend a group of five of us K9 handlers completed the SAR Tech II field exams and we all passed! This was the second and final component of the national credentialing process through…

By: Marven Ewen, MD, Medical DirectorEpistaxis is the medical term for nosebleed. Nosebleeds are very common and you will likely transport a patient with epistaxis occasionally. This article will discuss common causes of epistaxis, field treatment and advanced medical treatment the patient would likely receive at the hospital.The lining of the nose or nasal mucosa…

By: Kory L. Sandoz, EMT, EMDThe coming of spring and warm weather means more ATV, motorcycle, boating, and other outdoor activity related accidents. This is a good time of the year to remind our first responders about medical helicopter landing zone safety.Life Link III relies on first responders to secure a landing zone for our…