Advertise on podcast: Don't Risk It! Podcast

A vehicle or apparatus crash will typically cost your emergency service organization more now than ever, with year-after-year claim costs continuing to rise.  From inflation, rising replacement costs, and increasing labor costs—there are many factors at play when it comes to insurance rates and premium being at an all-time high. However, there are things that you can do to help your ESO manage the cost of risk. In this episode, Chris Rodgers, VFIS Industry Specialist, and Scott Harkins, Senior Vice President of Risk Control for VFIS and Glatfelter Insurance Group, take a deep dive into what "cost of risk" means, how to better manage it, and the landscape of insurance in the emergency services industry. 75 years of caring for the caretakers

Captain Randy Gates is a first responder, breathwork facilitator, wellness educator, and founder of Breath of Fire—but he didn't always understand the connection between mental and physical health. In Part 2 of our Nevada Peer Support Program deep dive, Chris Rodgers, VFIS Industry Specialist, and Captain Gates discuss what led him to emergency services, when he started to realize the importance of mental health, and how he utilizes and teaches breathwork as a proactive technique to both relax and energize the mind and body.  Learn how breathwork can support mental health and resilience in emergency services. 

After losing a "top-notch firefighter from a top-notch family" to suicide, Derek Reid and his fire department didn't know where to turn for support. This challenging time led to the creation of the revolutionary Nevada Peer Support Program, which seeks to smash mental health stigmas and provide support to first responders.  In this episode, Reid joins Chris Rodgers, VFIS Industry Specialist, to share how the program was developed, ways it's utilized, and tips for agencies to implement similar programs in their area.  Stay tuned for Part 2 of our Nevada Peer Support Network deep-dive coming in two weeks!

Drones have been a hot topic in emergency services for years. But, for some, it's still challenging to grasp how their capabilities outweigh the regulations and risks that come with them.  In this episode, Paul DiCicco, EMS Chief, and Dominick Boyd, Chief of Staff, of Lee County Public Safety Department join the VFIS podcast along with Chris Rodgers, Industry Specialist, to discuss how they're utilizing drones in new and innovative ways to aid emergency response, help reduce risk to their members, and enhance their service to their community. Plus, learn about how they've addressed regulations and implemented technology to access drone data in real-time.

Too many first responders are struck and injured or killed while working along the roadways each year—making it crucial for emergency service organizations to implement policies, procedures, and tools to help protect their crew. In this episode, Wesley Attwood, Senior Investigator for NIOSH's Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program, and Chief Jordon Cramer, South Strabane Township Fire Department in Washington County, PA, join the podcast to discuss one risk mitigation tool for these incidents: truck-mounted attenuators (TMAs). Learn how these energy-absorbing cushions can be mounted to emergency vehicles to help absorb the impact of impending vehicles and better protect responders.

Did you know that vehicles striking fixed objects, like buildings or poles, as well as animals, including deer, are some of the most common claims that VFIS clients face? Adam Kinsey, Employee Compliance and Training Manager for St. Johnsville Ambulance, joins the podcast to discuss how emergency service organizations can utilize brush guards on their vehicles to help mitigate extensive damage during these incidents and reduce downtime for their fleet.

Does your EMS agency utilize whole blood for patients with severe blood loss? In this episode, EMS professionals from Sussex County EMS join VFIS podcast host Chris Rodgers to share how the use of whole blood, which includes red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, and plasma, has been beneficial for their pre-hospital care protocols. Let's dive into the concept of using whole blood, why it's needed, and how to implement it in your emergency service organization.

Every time your emergency service organization makes a leadership change, it's essential that change is represented across all of your organization's channels and entities. Members of our VFIS Risk Control and Education team joined the podcast for a roundtable discussion on the importance of previous leaders making a clean-break, best practices for leadership transitions, and tasks that new leaders should consider making a priority.    Additional Resource - New Officers Checklist      

Emergency services personnel and their vehicles are increasingly being struck by fellow motorists while responding to emergencies along roadways, resulting in significant damage, injuries, and even death. In this episode, we sat down with Fire Chief Dr. Hervy Kornegay of Belfast Volunteer Fire Department in Wayne County, NC to discuss how his department is utilizing an attenuator-equipped vehicle to help battle this issue and better protect their team.

Is your fire department looking for new or better ways to engage with your community? Chris Rodgers, Industry Specialist with VFIS, sat down with Fire Chief Dan Hoff from York Area United Fire & Rescue ("YAUFR") to learn about their Citizens Fire Academy—which could serve as a great inspiration for your team! This program gives adults a hands-on, behind-the-scenes view into what firefighters and EMS personnel do and face every day—plus, serves as a great tool for community risk reduction, volunteer recruitment, and community engagement in the process.

Junior Member Program Liability can be a large exposure for an Emergency Service Organization. In this episode, Rachel Breen and Greg Lidstrom of VFIS Underwriting and Dave Bradley of Client Risk Solutions discuss best practices for departments with a Junior Member Program.

In this episode we discuss the concept of modified response in emergency services, what it means and how to integrate it into your operations.

VFIS Education Specialist Nicole Dugan joins us to learn about Freedom House Ambulance—the first paramedic program in the US, which was fully-staffed by African Americans, and their notable impact on emergency services and beyond.  

Responder Help is a one stop source for Fire and EMS resources. In this episode, Rick Gurba, Director of VFIS Education and Training, talks about updates made to the site and gives an overview of the resources it provides, including sample SOGs, industry news, training programs and more.

Proof of loss, points of contact and more – In this episode, Mike Leatherwood, Jeff Paul, and Greg Joy of Glatfelter Claims Management discuss items your organization should consider when preparing for a catastrophic event.