Episode notes
What do you do when someone on your team is struggling — and it’s on you to say something? In this episode of the Inside EMS podcast, Chris Cebollero and Kelly Grayson dive headfirst into one of leadership’s toughest challenges: holding people accountable without losing your humanity. This episode challenges leaders to ditch outdated progressive discipline models and start leading with clarity and empathy. Whether you’re a seasoned supervisor or new to the hot seat, this one hits home. And if you’ve been avoiding a conversation, consider this your nudge to stop choosing comfort over your own…
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Inside EMS
EMS1 Podcasts · News · English
For 14 years, the Inside EMS podcast helped drive conversations shaping the profession. Across nearly 900 episodes, hosts Chris Cebollero and Kelly Grayson examined hot topics affecting providers and leaders, from field operations and clinical decision-making to technology adoption, workforce chal
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E738 · 23 Jan 2026 · 34 min
This isn’t your Facebook group’s EMS debate
In this episode of Inside EMS, host Chris Cebollero sits down with Mic Gunderson, CEO of the Center for Systems Improvement and EMS Quality Academy; and editor‑in‑chief of the new peer-reviewed International Journal of Paramedicine, which launched in January 2023. Gunderson explains how the publication provides a forum for thoughtful debate around complex topics to be examined and analyzed. A recent issue, for example, touched on degree requirements for entry-level medics using the Socratic method to frame and manage the debate — a far cry from the horrors of a social post’s comment section.…
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E737 · 16 Jan 2026 · 42 min
The buffer system decoded: Mastering CO2, pH and patient care
In this episode of the Inside EMS podcast, Chris and Kelly are joined by paramedic student April McKenzie — aka “April Anonymous” — for a deep dive into the buffer system and CO2 mapping. April’s in the thick of paramedic school and like every good learner, she’s asking “why?” — so the guys break down the physiology behind capnography, acid-base balance and the lungs-vs.-kidneys showdown that keeps our patients alive. Plus, they throw in old-school war stories, rant about naloxone misuse and admit that bicarb is no longer the go-to cardiac arrest drug. If you've ever tried to explain…
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E736 · 9 Jan 2026 · 27 min
The National EMS Memorial Bike Ride: Because they mattered — and still do
This week on Inside EMS, Chris Cebollero kicks off 2026 with a heartfelt conversation featuring Eric Morrison, vice president of the National EMS Memorial Bike Ride and EMS director for Iredell County, North Carolina. The ride, founded 26 years ago, exists to honor the memory of EMS providers who died in the line of duty, from illness or mental health struggles. Each rider wears a dog tag bearing the name of a fallen provider, often connecting with their families along the journey. Eric shares his personal journey from lifeguard to leader and how his rekindled love for cycling — along with…
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E735 · 26 Dec 2025 · 29 min
From venomous bites to venomous behavior: A second helping of the top EMS stories of 2025
In this end-of-year special, Chris Cebollero and Kelly Grayson wrap 2025 with their trademark mix of humor, insight and zero sugarcoating. From venomous bites to venomous behavior, the Inside EMS duo continue counting down the top EMS stories that had the industry buzzing this year — and occasionally cringing. As always, the guys don’t shy away from the tough stuff, but they make sure to end on a note of gratitude for the everyday EMS pros out there doing the job with compassion, competence and quiet heroism. Quotable takeaways “Every day, EMS providers go out there, do their jobs and bring…
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E734 · 19 Dec 2025 · 31 min
Callouts, chaos and career killers: The biggest EMS stories of the year
In this special Christmas edition of the Inside EMS podcast, cohosts Chris Cebollero and Kelly Grayson unwrap five of the biggest EMS stories of 2025 — and it’s not all eggnog and cheer. This year delivered more than its fair share of gut punches to the profession, from a paramedic who was charged with manslaughter, to footage of a fire chief yelling at a 10-year-old patient (yeah, that happened). Next week’s show will break down the final five EMS stories of the year, but in 2026, we’re flipping the spotlight. Chris and Kelly are calling on you to step up and share your real EMS stories —…
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E732 · 1 Dec 2025 · 27 min
Fire/EMS pay parity and a big helping of cranberry sauce
This week on the Inside EMS podcast, we’re passing the gravy and the hot takes. Cohosts Chris Cebollero and Kelly Grayson serve up a holiday plate full of EMS news — starting with FDNY’s potential EMS split. They dig into what fair pay really looks like, why some EMTs are suing for what they’re owed, and whether big hospital systems like Yale New Haven are reshaping the ambulance game for better or worse. Whether you’re working a turkey-day shift or finally off duty, this episode hits hard and gives thanks where it’s due. Quotable takeaways: “If you’re gonna be in the EMS business, you’ve…
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E731 · 21 Nov 2025 · 31 min
Whole blood, dual shocks and why the AHA still doesn’t get us
This week on the Inside EMS podcast, Dr. Peter Antevy returns for another round in the hot seat, and he’s not holding back. In this jam-packed episode, he and host Chris Cebollero tackle trending topics in prehospital care — from the expanding role of whole blood and plasma, to the frustrating gaps in the AHA’s 2025 guidelines. You’ll hear real-world success stories (like the cardiac arrest survivor who’s back on the tennis court), why dual sequential defibrillation (DSD) should already be your go-to, and the cost-benefit realities of starting a whole blood program. Dr. Antevy also dives…
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E730 · 14 Nov 2025 · 29 min
TikTok star Jimmy Apple is challenging EMS dogma with data and kindness
This week on the Inside EMS podcast, host Kelly Grayson sits down with Jimmy Apple — known as the “EMS Avenger” on TikTok — to explore how he’s challenging long‑standing EMS norms and delivering evidence‑based content at scale. With 22 years in EMS, the pediatric critical‑care paramedic has built a strong digital platform that merges clinical rigor with plain‑spoken commentary. Whether you’re hung up on “what’s new” or “what really works,” this episode offers a spirited discussion, thoughtful commentary and a call to re‑examine what we do — and why. Memorable takeaways “What we learn tends…
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E729 · 7 Nov 2025 · 26 min
How to lead without being that boss
Let’s face it — most discussions on leadership sound like someone regurgitating a business best seller. Not this time. In this week’s episode of the Inside EMS podcast, cohosts Chris Cebollero and Kelly Grayson get real about the six leadership habits that actually matter when you're running a shift, a truck or a team that relies on each other not to screw it up. This isn’t about titles, org charts or leadership flavor-of-the-month. We’re talking self-awareness, collaboration and adaptability — the stuff that separates real-deal leaders from clipboard-holding disasters. Whether you’re trying…
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E728 · 31 Oct 2025 · 23 min
AHA 2025 updates are here: Cue the overreactions and the protocol rewrites
In this week’s episode of the Inside EMS podcast, cohosts Chris Cebollero and Kelly Grayson dive into the 2025 AHA Guidelines for CPR & ECC and why, for most EMS systems and crews, this feels more like a tune up than a full overhaul. They talk through what is different — like the adult/child choking algorithm change, the inclusion of an opioid overdose response algorithm with public naloxone access, and the shift to a single unified chain of survival across ages and settings. They also talk about what isn’t new (for example, the recommendation that routine mechanical CPR devices are not…
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