DUSTOFF Podcasts

Today is May 18th and on this day in 1980 Mt. St. Helens erupted with a force so powerful that it leveled tens of thousands of acres of forest and destroyed hundreds of homes, roadways and railways. 57 people lost their lives in the blast. On duty that day was a young helicopter pilot named Mike Cairns. He and many of his Washington National Guard …

In this episode of Raven Conversations, Hollie Stark, the Outreach Program Manager for the Emergency Management Division talks about being disaster ready in Washington.By Unknown Author

CW3 Ryan Schwend and CW2 Eugene Park stop by to tell us the story of how they were able to safely land after they experienced a catastrophic emergency during a routine trip while they were on deployment in Afghanistan. It is truly an amazing story! They walk us through their decision making process, how they communicated with the crew chiefs in the…

On the show today we sit down with two members of the Washington National Guard - one Army one Air - who own their own businesses in their local community. Master Sgt. Samantha Stewart who is at the 194th Wing, runs a CrossFit gym with her husband, Joe, who is also an Air National Guardsman. Samantha and I talk about her service in the Guard suppor…

This episode is a continuation of our conversation with the crew from Rainier Dustoff who recently helped rescue an injured hiker. On the previous episode we talked about the rescue mission itself but on this episode we go into the aviation career field in general - how they got started, what they love about it and where they see their careers goin…

On today's show I sit down and chat with a few members of the Dustoff team over at the Army aviation facility. In October, Chief Warrant Officer 4 Ryan Kennedy and his crew piloted their UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter out near Leavenworth, Washington to help rescue an injured hiker and transport them to safety. This is something that they train for a …

Matthew Sovine joins the pod for a quick conversation about research he's conducting into sustainment training for active duty flight medics. Have a listen and make sure to fill out the survey in your work email.By Matthew Sovine

In this episode, Trooper Mike Allen joins us to discuss the Arizona State Police's Aviation Unit. Trooper Allen is a flight paramedic who came to AZDPS from the fire service. Mike discusses the history of the program, the criteria for flight medic selection, the types of missions they respond to, the types of continuing education they run, and some…

Washington National Guard armories are old. Built around the turn of the century and on through the 1930’s and 40’s, these large, cavernous buildings have been the assembly location for soldiers and airmen for decades. Countless people have moved through these locations on their way to World Wars I and II and on through the conflicts in the Middle …

Canadian Army Master Corporal Justin Weiler joins Max and Trevor to talk about his new country's rotary-wing medical program. Canada is one of our closest allies, but they have taken a different approach to clearing the battlefield. Listen up for interesting differences in how they equip and crew their aircraft. You can learn more about CMERTs capa…

In this episode I speak with Brian Terbush, the Earthquake and Volcano Program Coordinator at the Emergency Management Division. He stopped by to talk about the Great Washington ShakeOut. That's an annual earthquake drill that is observed every October and millions of people around the country stop what they're doing and practice what they would do…

Seain, Keegan, and Joe were the last three DUSTOFF medics in Afghanistan during the 2021 U.S. withdrawal. In this episode, they describe their experience during the attack at Hamid Karzai International Airport's Abbey Gate.By Seain, Keegan, and Joe

Seain, Keegan, and Joe were the last three DUSTOFF medics in Afghanistan during the 2021 U.S. withdrawal. In this episode, they describe their experiences in the days and weeks leading up to the attack at Hamid Karzai International Airport's Abbey Gate. ProPublica is a non-profit news site that published a comprehensive account of the Abbey Gate at…

Max sits down with US Air Force Lt. Col. Michael Policastro, MD for a capabilities briefing on the Air Force's Critical Care Air Transport Team program. CCATT is a team of highly skilled clinicians who provide enroute treatment to our sickest patients, and Dr. Policastro goes in depth into not only CCATTs medical skills, but also their selection pr…

In this episode we talk to Lt. Col. Jason Kramer with the 194th Comptroller Flight and Senior Master Sgt. Justin Scherer with the 194th Contracting Office. Together, along with Retired Chief Master Sgt. Jason Witts, summited Mt. Rainier in July. We talk about the training that goes into the multi-day climb, the equipment they used, the hazards of t…

For this episode we're doing something a little different. I hand the podcast over to Command Sgt. Maj. Dana Trakel as she leads a panel discussion about Women's Equality Day with several trailblazing female leaders in our organization. Women's Equality Day celebrates the passage of the 19th Amendment in 1920 which granted women the right to vote. …

COL (ret.) Jonathan Newmark, MD finishes up a fascinating conversation with Max on nerve agents. Dr. Newmark is a true expert in this subject and his depth of knowledge makes this episode a must-hear. Have a listen, and let us know what you think!By COL (ret.) Jonathan Newmark, MD

COL (ret.) Jonathan Newmark, MD sits down with Max for an in-depth discussion of nerve agents. Dr. Newmark dedicated much of his career to researching the treatment of chemical and biological casualties, giving him an extraordinary depth of knowledge on this topic. Dr. Newmark retired from the military in 2013, but continues to serve as a professor…

Max sits down with David Shablak to discuss how to conduct high-quality training at the unit level. David is the co-host of the SimGeeks Podcast, a paramedic, and an expert in healthcare simulation. This is a great conversation for Medical NCOs and platoon-sized unit leaders who build and conduct training at their level. During the conversation, Da…

Sgt. 1st Class Christopher A. Celiz was awarded the Medal of Honor for heroic acts during an engagement with the enemy in Paktia Province, Afghanistan, on July 12, 2018. SFC Celiz saved the life of a wounded soldier from a partner force, and later used his body as a shield to cover the DUSTOFF aircraft that arrived to retrieve the wounded. SFC Celi…

Sgt. 1st Class Christopher A. Celiz was awarded the Medal of Honor for heroic acts during an engagement with the enemy in Paktia Province, Afghanistan, on July 12, 2018. SFC Celiz saved the life of a wounded soldier from a partner force, and later used his body as a shield to cover the DUSTOFF aircraft that arrived to retrieve the wounded. SFC Celi…

Last year the DoD restored its original transgender military service policy that was originally issued in 2016. The policy prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender identity. It also provides a path forward for those who wish to seek medical treatment for gender transition. To help talk us through the policy, Master Sergeant Susie Lopez stops…

It's the end of May but we wanted to squeeze in an episode about Mental Health Awareness Month. We all deal with stress in our own ways. It's good to know that you are not alone in your struggles and members of the Guard have so many resources available to them. And we want to normalize help-seeking behavior. Four members of the behavioral health t…

May is Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month and we invited a few guests to come in and share their experiences growing up in the United States as an Asian American and Pacific Islander. Capt. Laudy Choum, Capt. Tiffany Cadenhead and Sgt. 1st class Lance "Shimmy" Shimamoto talk about the challenges they had to overcome and the importance o…

The Army is changing the way it approaches Soldier fitness. Gone are the days of push-ups, sit-ups and the 2-mile run. Now the Army is expanding fitness beyond physical abilities and into the world of mental health, nutrition and even spirituality with it's Holistic Health and Fitness initiative. The program aims to improve the health and well-bein…

Dr. Haney Mallemat, a triple-boarded critical care physician and Editor-in-Chief at criticalcarenow.com, joins us to discuss all things vasopressor related. During the interview, Dr. Mallemat mentions the Arginine Vasopressin During the Early Resuscitation of Traumatic Shock (AVERTShock) trial. You can find a summary of that study here, and deploye…

In this episode we welcome back Jennika Cardenas from the Joint Services Support and we welcome for the first time Staff Sgt. Michelle Claus. We talk about the recent Master Resiliency Trainer Course that Washington recently hosted. We chat about what the course teaches and why these skills are important for one's own well-being as well as how they…

There's a new Training Circular 8-800, Medical Education & Demonstration of Individual Competence (MEDIC), and it is a major change from the last version. This episode is a deep dive into the new TC with the primary enlisted authors, MSG Kaleb Twilligear and MSG Hunter Black. Listen up as they talk about returning the responsibility for a ready med…

Dr. Steven Schauer returns to the podcast with Trevor and Morgan to talk about pain management. Managing pain is a complex topic involving both different types of pain and different medications. During the conversation, Dr. Schauer mentions JTS CPG 61, Analgesia and Sedation Management During Prolonged Field Care. You can find this on the link at o…

In this episode Jason sits down with Marilyn Gerhardt and Tramal Williams - two of the most successful recruiters in the field today. We talk about the process of enlisting a new recruit, about what makes them successful, as well as some of the struggles they face. As always please reach out if you have a topic you would like to hear on the show. S…

Dr. Sean Stuart finishes up a discussion on chest tubes with Claire and Morgan. This episode discusses some of the finer points of the procedure. Dr. Stuart also describes how to make an inexpensive task trainer so you can practice thoracotomies at your unit. Finally, he describes an improvised Heimlich valve that you can make with an exam glove if…

Dr. Sean Stuart joins Claire and Morgan for the first in a two-part series about chest tubes. Dr. Stuart is a Navy emergency medicine physician and is the Research Director of the Combat Trauma Research Group. This first episode covers a lot of ground, from a detailed discussion of the procedure itself to a thorough exploration of a recent paper co…

We all learned it. We've all done it. And we (mostly) all know that it's wrong. Dr. Seth Collings Hawkins joins Trevor and Claire to discuss spinal immobilization. Rigid immobilization of trauma patients is entrenched dogma, but we've probably all heard that this procedure is not just without benefit, but is in fact harmful to our patients. Dr. Col…

Captain Madison Anderson, RN, joins Claire and Morgan to discuss the pre-hospital care of sexual assault victims (SMOG SPECIAL POP V). It's a difficult topic, but it is critical for flight medics to understand the specialized care this patient population requires. CPT Anderson is a Sexual Assault Medical Forensic Examiner (SAMFE), and she makes imp…

Lt. Col. Joe Maddry joins Max and Morgan to talk about SMOG Medical XIX, Toxic Ingestions. Toxicology is extraordinarily complex, and this discussion ranges beyond ingestions. Dr. Maddry is an emergency medicine physician and has completed a toxicology fellowship. Listen up as he breaks down initial treatment for a range of emergencies from reptile…

New Zealand Army Nursing Officer Captain Buffy Little joins Max and Trevor to talk about her service's rotary-wing MEDEVAC program. New Zealand is one of our closest allies, but their Army's small size and remote geography mean their operations are dramatically different from ours. Listen up for interesting differences in how they equip and crew th…

This is a packed episode from one of the leaders in our field! Doc Rush joins us again to talk about traumatic brain injury, head injury, and why those two are not the same. Listen closely as Doc Rush boils down this complex topic to its essentials. First he hits on the three main causes of altered mental status in trauma: Hypoxemia from chest inju…

On this episode, Jason sits down with three Washington National Guard Airmen who volunteered for the massive effort to help Afghanistan Evacuees transition to life in America. They traveled to Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in New Jersey where they were a part of more than 200 Airmen working 24 hour operations helping more than 9,500 evacuees con…

Chief of the Joint Trauma System Colonel Stacy Shackelford joins Max and Claire to talk about the history, mission, and future vision for the organization singularly focused on reducing morbidity and mortality on the battlefield. During this wide-ranging discussion, Dr. Shackelford describes JTS initiatives directly relevant to our role in rotary-w…

COL (ret.) Joseph DuBose joins Trevor and Max to provide an overview of ECMO, and discuss its use in flight. ECMO isn't a new procedure, but it has become more visible in recent years as its use has expanded. In Europe, there are pre-hospital ECMO teams, and the US Air Force CCAT program has brought the technology far forward. Dr. DuBose has been i…

Joe Siemandel, the State Public Affairs Officer, and Karina Shagren, the Military Department's Communications Director, sit down and chat with Adam Wasserman, the manager for the state's Enhanced 911 system. He talks about the history of the E-911 system, how it works and what the future holds with the new Text-To-911 features that are becoming mor…

Here's the second part of our interview with Joel. Listen as he describes conducting multiple hoists in combat, and listen for some valuable lessons learned. Joel talks about PACE planning, patient handoff techniques, and we explore the dogma that surrounds the transport of deceased patients. Have a listen, and let us know what you think. Our comme…

We begin with a remembrance of our fallen Navy comrades. Today's episode is the start of our second AAR series. We talk with Joel, an Army flight medic who conducted a hoist mission in combat. His experience is important for several reasons, not least of which because we have a very frank discussion of what can happen when hoist training and mainte…

September is Suicide Prevention and Awareness Month and on this episode we talk to Jennika Cardenas. Jennika is the R3SP Coordinator for the state and she brought with her a long-time member of the Washington National Guard, Aaron McCarthy. Aaron opens up to us and shares his heart wrenching story and his battles with TBI and PTSD. 24/7 Veteran and…

Aebhric O’Kelly from the College of Remote and Offshore Medicine joins Max and Morgan to discuss medical training and education for austere settings. CoROM is a unique educational institution with many military alumni. Aebhric discusses opportunities at CoROM, including some important information on the number of credits required to apply (hint: yo…

Rob Munday from Blackcomb Helicopters & SR3 Rescue Concepts, Jon, and Wayne wrap up their discussion of hoist techniques. This episode focuses on safety, training, and emergency procedures. It's a must-listen for pilots, hoist operators, and hoist riders alike, because the discussion has the potential to change your perspective on what makes a safe…

Rob Munday from Blackcomb Helicopters & SR3 Rescue Concepts joins Wayne and Jon to discuss hoist techniques. Riding the hoist makes great social media posts, but behind the cool pictures is a skill that must be continuously honed and refined. The Army Hoist SOP is a relatively progressive document, but too many units ignore the important informatio…

Dr. Steven Schauer joins us to discuss supraglottic airways. These devices are often considered to be 'rescue' adjuncts for a 'failed' airway, but this discussion may change the way you approach out-of-hospital airway control. Listen as Dr. Schauer talks about the types of patients who should receive SGAs, tips and tricks for using them, and the im…

Our conversation with Dr. Cap continues! There’s an in-depth discussion of blood physiology, a comparison of DOD blood protocols, and an interesting rethinking of blood as an organ. Dr. Cap also provides an important overview of how to train transfusions and walking blood banks. The information he shares can be a valuable resource if your medical d…