A few years ago a couple of guys net up for a trans Atlantic EMS exchange. Maybe you heard about it. A big reason that happened was the early support of ZOLL Medical.

As part of their sponsorship in what Mark, Ted and I were trying to do they invited us to their booth in Baltimore, where we began to expand the #CoEMS family face to face. However, few realize, that the night before the conference we met for drinks with Charlotte and Blake from ZOLL to discuss what we all hoped to accomplish.

Being the social media whores devotees we are, we both tweeted our status and checking in on Facebook.  Literally minutes later we were joined by a few bloggers who happened to be in another part of the restaurant, saw our update and came over to say hello.

And that is how the ZOLL Pre Conference Blogger Bash was born.

Each year Charlotte and the folks from ZOLL but together a little event to recognize the power social media has in bringing EMS providers together and the sharing of best practices.  It is by far the best event at the conferences, even though it’s smaller and less flashy than some of the other fare put on when thousands of EMTs descend on these poor cities.

And in case you were wondering WHICH blogger bash I am referring to, it was a tie for Baltimore and Las Vegas.  And in 2012 I suspect yet another tie.

Thanks for making me smile ZOLL!  See you in Baltimore!

Expo is alive and well here in Las Vegas and the FRNtv team is at full alert.

From Thaddeus Setla and Chris Eldridge shooting and editing video almost in real time to Random Ward and Sam Bradley preaching the good word at the ZOLL booth, we’re operating at full speed and the response has been positive.

In our booth and in our hearts is the missing team member Mark Glencorse, who’s name still gets recognition as Medic999.  But since he can’t make it…I’ve had to recruit a new buddy.  My new partner in crime, noted blogger and dapper dresser Random Ward, has jumped into the deep end by not just attending his first conference but manning a booth at his first conference.  Having someone else who can explain the heart and soul behind FRNtv and CoEMS while Thaddeus and I film product videos is a huge stress reliever.

We started early this morning and didn’t wander off the show floor for nearly 8 hours, a fair days’ work.  Some quick blog catch up time here and we’re heading for the pool to relax.

In the meantime, a quick Happy Anniversary to my little therapy experiment here as 3 years ago today I hit publish on my very first blog post.

And the rest…as they say…can be learned at the 1:15pm session “How a Blog Saved my Life” here at EMSWorldEXPO.

See you there!

As @ssgtjbroyles has been reminding me since the t-minus 90 days mark, EMS Expo in Las Vegas has snuck up and is making us all a bit giddy with excitement.

Not just because of the opportunity to raise awareness for a good cause, but for the reasons we all go to the conferences: CEs, BFFs and toys.

The show floor is not the only place to find me this year, but when on the floor, our friends at Zoll have once again rolled out the blue carpet for First Responders Network.  Come meet me, Thaddeus Setla and Random Ward, Scott Kier (creator of the EMS 2.0 star logo) and many other EMS bloggers who often wander in and have trouble wandering away when we all get talking.

Even though you’ve seen myself and the Setla roaming the floor of other shows with the cameras in tow, this year we are the OFFICIAL video provider, so don’t be surprised if Thaddeus has to grab camera and split, just let him go.

This conference will of course be starting with the ZOLL Pre-Conference Blogger Bash taking place Tuesday Night at the Hard Rock Cafe on the third floor in the Iron Curtain Lounge.  8:30pm is the start and if the past has been any indication you’ll have a chance to talk with your favorite bloggers, podcasters and twitter junkies live and awkwardly in person!  ZOLL started the Pre-Conference bash at a table in a bar and in Baltimore this year it brought industry reps, publishers and even the non-social media inclined to see just what all the buzz was about.  And those rumors about Kelly Grayson singing karaoke right before the duet by Scott Cravens and AJ Heightman…that was a different party all together.

Wednesday starts the show and we’ll all be hustling to get as much knowledge crammed into our heads as possible between trips to the show floor to see what’s new in gadgets, gear and garments.  Grab a seat for the keynote at 10am from FEMA Deputy Administrator Rich Serino, brought to you by ZOLL.

Speaking of gadgets, thanks to the folks at RipShears, I have a few to give away FREE, but have yet to devise a clever way to distribute them.  Watch for details.

Gear wise, Magnum Boots will be on site offering their particular wares and be sure to hit the booth for your chance to get one of 50 Kilted to Kick Cancer T-shirts.  Magnum will also have some great new garments, I’ll be wearing them, come find me.

Thursday starts Kilted to Kick Cancer, the month long kilt extravaganza we hope will make men think about cancers specific to them before we get flooded with pink in October.  If you have a kilt, this is your day!  After a long day in classes and on the floor, grab some time by the pool and get ready for the big party- Hollywood Nights.  There’s a cost of $30 per person, but try finding a night out in Vegas for less than that.  Get gussied up and be there 630-11, and by “there” I mean Planet Hollywood at the Caesar Forum Shops.  I will be kilted after all it’s still September.

Friday will find me bright eyed and bushy tailed (in a kilt still) at 8AM presenting “Infiltrating Command to Effect Change” a little something I whipped up while going out as a PRN Supervisor this past year.  Grab a bite and some hair of the dog and come back for the 1:15 “How a Blog Saved my Life” when I’ll expand on the tale I tell in the opening scenes of Beyond the Lights & Sirens and tell you how all this blog crap actually keeps me from crumbling.  Seriously.

And remember everyone – What happens in Vegas…will likely end up on Facebook.

I like it here in Dever at Zoll Summit.

I like talking to the rep that handles my Department’s monitors and ePCRs.  I like talking to the sales people about what’s new and improved in the line of products.  I like listening to presentations from speakers about the future of EMS technology and how, as one twitter follower asked, it’s getting smaller, smarter and cheaper.

I sent out a message yesterday morning asking you what you would change on your monitors if you could.  The responses were what we all expect, smaller, lighter, less cumbersome, better cables, but the one thing that was mentioned most was the ability to wirelessly transmit 12 lead ECGs to any destination regardless of proprietary tech on the receiving side.

When I read that I nearly shouted out loud in the presentation room.  Reason being that the speaker was discussing the launch today of ZOLL RescueNet 12-Lead, an open architecture, browser based transmission system that allows any person with log on credentials to view a transmitted 12-Lead anywhere they have an internet signal.

No better time to get back on the road than 2 days after getting home, right?

It has now been a full year since EMS 2.0 was given a chance to be heard at a conference when Zoll brought myself and Mark Glencorse out to Denver to pitch the idea of improving EMS from the ground up.  It was very well received at the time, but some in the crowd told us it was the same ideas they’ve always heard but with a new title.  I can kind of agree with that.  Nothing I or many others associated with the movement are suggesting is new, but we’re sharing information in a new way letting us make informed decisions on policy instead of stabs in the dark.  Borrowing wheels instead of re-inventing them, if you will.

Zoll Summit is a chance for EMS Leaders, Q/I Staff and others to come together and discuss technology and leading trends as they pertain to EMS.

It was at last year’s Zoll Summit we heard speakers call for smaller batteries, lighter defib units and perhaps…gasp…remove the defib completely.  Leaders from many systems, Medical Directors and yes a few medics and EMTs met in the hallways to discuss parts they love and parts they don’t in their data systems, ePCRs and monitors and folks from Zoll were always there to listen.

On Monday the 9th Thaddeus Setla joins me to head out to Denver in Mark’s place to bring the Summit to you!

Instead of having to find the words to describe the networking and chance to give input to the industry, we’re firing up the FRNtv cameras for updates conference style.  We’ve been the ones to bring you same day coverage of both major EMS conferences and Zoll, our oldest and biggest supporter, is looking for the same kind  of coverage so we’re enroute.

Updates will come fast and furious with that Ted Setla flair so keep your browsers pointed to FirstRespondersNetwork.tv for updates almost as soon as we land.

Something you want to ask Zoll Medical, Zoll Data or any of the Zoll divisions?  Leave a comment and look for a video reply from the folks in the know at Zoll Summit in Denver this week.