Why EMS Stands for The Flag

09/26/17 • 7 min

The Best Job Ever by Troy Shaffer @ EMS Flight Safety Network

America is the best country in the world.

“Proud to be an American” is more than a catchy slogan.

It’s our way of life.

If you or someone you love serves our country in the armed forces, you get my instant respect and gratitude. No discussion or debate required.

And here’s the best part: I believe most Americans share this viewpoint. Most Americans respect and appreciate those who serve now, and those who served our country in the past.

Why NFL Stars Should Get Off Their Knees

Why should National Football League (NFL) players get off their knees and stand for the national anthem?

Because standing is about respect.

Standing for the national anthem is about showing respect for those who made the ultimate sacrifice and gave their lives for this country. It’s really that simple.

Stand to show respect.

NFL players who kneel before football games do so to draw attention to racism in America. But they disrespect everyone who ever served in uniform by doing so.

NFL players don’t see it that way, because they don’t really see anything through the same lens as regular people. NFL players believe in their cause and believe it’s their right to kneel if they choose.

And you know what? They’re absolutely right. It is their right to kneel.

The constitution and first amendment guarantees this right to every American. The irony is the service men and women who died to give them this right — is the group they’re disrespecting the most, by kneeling. That’s the rub, or at least part of it.

The bigger rub is how NFL players are completely out of touch with average Americans. How NFL players believe their opinions are somehow more valuable than the average American’s opinion.

Newsflash: the average American thinks football players should stick to playing football. The average American thinks NFL players are overpaid and out of touch with reality. The average American thinks kneeling during the national anthem (for almost any reason) is unpatriotic.

But none of that explains why kneeling during the national anthem is stupid.

Why Kneeling is Stupid

Is shining a spotlight on racism important?

Yes, of course.

But bringing attention to racism by disrespecting every American who ever served or died for our country, is a stupid way to do it.

But don’t take my word for it. How do you know kneeling during the national anthem is a stupid way to draw attention to racism? Easy answer. The NFL already proved it.

Colin Kaepernick, a free agent quarterback famous for kneeling before football games, can no longer find work in the NFL.

Why can’t Colin Kaepernick find work? Why won’t an NFL team hire him?

The answer has nothing to do with Colin’s skills as a quarterback. The answer is that Colin Kaepernick is damaged goods. No team will take him because of all the bad publicity that comes with hiring him.

The Cleveland Browns also proved how stupid it is to kneel during the national anthem. You can read how Paramedic and Police unions boycotted the Cleveland Browns opener for kneeling during the national anthem.

Watch the NFL Take a Stand This Week

If you’re bothered by all of this, stand-by for a little poetic justice to come your way this week.

The Pittsburgh Steelers forced the issue center stage.

The entire Pittsburgh Steelers team, except for Alejandro Villanueva, ex-Army Ranger, stayed in the locker room for the national anthem before their game with Chicago.

The backlash was quick and severe.

The American public is irritated and threatening to boycott the NFL. Now the NFL commissioner and team owners really have no choice but to start talking about the issue publicly. Even the president commented about the owner’s lack of control over the situation.

Stand-by to see the NFL commissioner and team owners ‘patriotism’ shine through like no other week this season. Now that their revenue is threatened, you’ll see a whole new appreciation for those who served.

Why EMS Stands for The Flag

It’s easy for Emergency Medical Services (EMS) to stand for the flag.

Why?

Because EMSers are patriots. EMSers live in the real world. EMSers work hard for a lot less money and appreciation than the average NFL player.

But those aren’t the only reasons.

EMSers identify with our service men and women.

EMS is different than serving in the military, but it is about service.

Service is the bond the two communities share.

It’s time for NFL players to stand with EMS and their fellow Americans. It’s time to give respect to those who made the ultimate sacrifice and paid for our freedoms and privileges with their lives.

What do you think? Should NFL players stand for the national a...

America is the best country in the world.

“Proud to be an American” is more than a catchy slogan.

It’s our way of life.

If you or someone you love serves our country in the armed forces, you get my instant respect and gratitude. No discussion or debate required.

And here’s the best part: I believe most Americans share this viewpoint. Most Americans respect and appreciate those who serve now, and those who served our country in the past.

Why NFL Stars Should Get Off Their Knees

Why should National Football League (NFL) players get off their knees and stand for the national anthem?

Because standing is about respect.

Standing for the national anthem is about showing respect for those who made the ultimate sacrifice and gave their lives for this country. It’s really that simple.

Stand to show respect.

NFL players who kneel before football games do so to draw attention to racism in America. But they disrespect everyone who ever served in uniform by doing so.

And you know what? They’re absolutely right. It is their right to kneel.

The bigger rub is how NFL players are completely out of touch with average Americans. How NFL players believe their opinions are somehow more valuable than the average American’s opinion.

But none of that explains why kneeling during the national anthem is stupid.

Why Kneeling is Stupid

Is shining a spotlight on racism important?

Yes, of course.

But bringing attention to racism by disrespecting every American who ever served or died for our country, is a stupid way to do it.

But don’t take my word for it. How do you know kneeling during the national anthem is a stupid way to draw attention to racism? Easy answer. The NFL already proved it.

Colin Kaepernick, a free agent quarterback famous for kneeling before football games, can no longer find work in the NFL.

Why can’t Colin Kaepernick find work? Why won’t an NFL team hire him?

Watch the NFL Take a Stand This Week

If you’re bothered by all of this, stand-by for a little poetic justice to come your way this week.

The Pittsburgh Steelers forced the issue center stage.

The entire Pittsburgh Steelers team, except for Alejandro Villanueva, ex-Army Ranger, stayed in the locker room for the national anthem before their game with Chicago.

The backlash was quick and severe.

Why EMS Stands for The Flag

It’s easy for Emergency Medical Services (EMS) to stand for the flag.

Why?

Because EMSers are patriots. EMSers live in the real world. EMSers work hard for a lot less money and appreciation than the average NFL player.

But those aren’t the only reasons.

EMSers identify with our service men and women.

EMS is different than serving in the military, but it is about service.

Service is the bond the two communities share.

What do you think? Should NFL players stand for the national a...

Previous Episode

How To Be An Amazing EMS Mentor

Let’s be honest.

We all want an awesome mentor.

Someone to take us by the hand and show us a better way.

Someone to save us time, money and frustration. How awesome would that be, right?

Here’s the thing.

If you’re good at what you do, sooner or later the day will come when someone – an employee, co-worker, student or acquaintance – comes to you for advice.

Someone who is looking for a mentor, and to them, you fit the bill perfectly.

Is Mentoring Worth It

Is mentoring worth the effort?

In a word, yes.

But, it’s a very personal decision. You must decide how much value mentoring has to you.

After watching hundreds of professional flight crews mentor wannabe flight crews, I can tell you with certainty it’s a pretty great experience for all involved. A lot of times the mentor benefits as much or more than the mentee.

Why?

Because the feeling you get when someone tells you they’re “living their dream” thanks to your help, is pretty incredible. It’s right up there with someone thanking you for saving their life.

If you’re EMS, you know exactly what I’m talking about.

So how do you do it? And how do you get good at it?

How do you become the amazing mentor you would want to have for yourself?

Here are 10 tips to get you started:

10 Tips for Becoming An Amazing EMS Mentor 1. Be a giver

It kind of goes without saying, but I’ll say it anyways.

Being a mentor is about being a giver. And it’s also about giving for the right reasons.

Know your priorities up front. Are you mentoring for the right reasons? If your only motivation is yourself, stop. Mentoring isn’t about you.

Don’t trap someone and force your personal story upon them.

Mentoring is about helping others for the right reasons. Give more than you get.

2. Give Advice Beyond Work

Think how shallow your life would be if all you did was work. If your biggest source of happiness was work.

Think how much you would be missing. I know from personal experience it’s not fulfilling. You can read 10 Warning Signs of Aviation Induced Divorce Syndrome (AIDS)here.

The point is to give advice beyond work. Get to know the whole person. Find out their hopes, dreams, plans and schemes beyond work.

If you help a person advance their EMS or Air medical career and they’re still unhappy, how much did your really help them?

3. Set Expectations Up Front

Set expectations together in the very beginning.

Until you know exactly what a person wants to achieve, and how they hope to achieve it, you really can’t help them.

It’s important to sit down and go over expectations, especially if you’re just meeting each other or have spent little time together.

This scenario happens often with EMS. For example, a student aspires to become a paramedic and wants your experienced paramedic advice on how to do it.

You might be wondering if they want to work for your company, or if they’re just looking for advice on how to become a paramedic anywhere. It’s the type of thing you want to ask up front.

4. Approach Each Mentorship Differently

People are different. As a mentor, you need to adapt your style to what works best for the person seeking your advice. Again, remember that it’s not about you.

It’s about getting results for the person you’re helping.

Remind yourself what worked best for you, or the last person you mentored, may or may not work today.

We see examples of this in EMS Flight Safety Network all the time. What got one person hired as a flight medic a year ago, may or may not help a person who aspires to fly today. They’re two different people and a lot can change in a year.

5. Mentor with Passion

The greatest of mentors inspire their mentees and become living examples to emulate.

How do they do it?

They do it by exuding a genuine passion for their work. Get excited about EMS and what you do. Passion is contagious.

Remind yourself of why you chose an EMS career. Remind yourself it was a good decision then, and it’s still a great career now.

Share a story that ignites your passion. Your commitment to EMS and why you picked EMS as a career will shine through.

6. Tell the Truth About Mistakes You’ve Made

Be open to sharing your mistakes and failures.

It’s hard to do, but it’s important for a lot of reasons.

Your mentoree puts you on a pedestal. Depending on their experience, they may or may not realize you’re as human and mistake prone as the rest of us.

Sharing your failures humanizes you and builds trust. We all know how humbling EMS can be. Help your mentoree by showing them how you’...

Next Episode

Announcing The “Fly Like A Girl” Breast Cancer Awareness 5th Anniversary Design

EMS Flight Safety Network, the people who keep air medical safe, releases its 5th Anniversary breast cancer awareness “Fly LIke A Girl” design on October 1, 2017. Further information can be found at http://flightsafetynet.com.

Announcing The “Fly Like A Girl” Breast Cancer Awareness 5th Anniversary Design

EMS Flight Safety Network is scheduled to release its 2017 breast cancer awareness design on Sunday, October 1st. Every year since 2012, EMS Flight Safety Network has released a new breast cancer awareness design, which fans and consumers within Emergency Medical Services, Air Medical, Fire and Police services anxiously await each year. This year marks the fifth anniversary of the Fly-Like-A-Girl breast cancer awareness campaign.

Here are five little known facts about the 2017 Fly-Like-A-Girl design:

The idea for creating the Fly-Like-A-Girl Breast Cancer Awareness T-shirts and Hoodies came about after a local paramedic lost her battle with breast cancer. Everyone who knew this paramedic, loved this paramedic. She was a great mother, sister, daughter, educator and caregiver. At the request of her family, her name remains anonymous, but her memory honors all who continue the fight against breast cancer. Each year, a new Fly-Like-A-Girl design symbolizes the continued fight. The Fly-Like-A-Girl campaign brings attention and awareness to a treatable and curable disease when discovered in early stages. EMS and air medical crews understand the benefits of early detection and diagnosis better than most. As professional caregivers, they see first-hand the lives early detection saves.

A new design is released every year with input from the EMS Flight Safety Network community, a network of professionals that boasts a followership in excess of 216,000 members. EMS Flight Safety Network is the people who keep air medical safe. The community is large in numbers, but still maintains a family-like focus and concern for fellow EMS, Fire, Police and air medical professionals. The annual Fly-Like-A-Girl breast cancer awareness campaign is just one example.

The Fly-Like-A-Girl designs almost didn’t see the light of day. EMS Flight Safety Network almost dissolved in 2009, a year after the air medical industry experienced the highest accident record in its history. A team focus beyond flight nurses, flight medics and EMS pilots (EMS flight crews) is what kept it alive. EMS Flight Safety Network grew bigger than the aircrews who staff the helicopters and airplanes. It now includes EMTs, paramedics, nurses, firefighters, registered respiratory therapists, dispatchers, mechanics, pilots, flight communication specialists, hospital security, trauma doctors, specialty transport teams, as well as the family and friends who support these professionals. This extended family of caregivers and lifesavers is the reason EMS Flight Safety Network continues today.

EMS Flight Safety Network is different than other businesses and services in the Emergency Medical Services space. The Fly-Like-A-Girl breast cancer awareness design is the only breast cancer awareness design made especially for EMS, rescue services and the people who support these professionals.

The Fly-Like-A Girl Breast Cancer Awareness T-shirts and Hoodies will be released as part of EMS Flight Safety Network’s greater plans to get everyone to “Fly-Like-A-Girl.” It’s hoped this goal will be achieved by 2025.