LifeSaving Education Inc.

On Save-A-Life Day, it is worth talking about one of the most watched developments in prehospital trauma care: dried plasma. Hemorrhage remains a leading cause of preventable death after injury, and getting blood products to bleeding patients earlier could save lives. The challenge has always been logistics. Plasma has historically required cold storage and thawing.

Dried plasma changes the math.

There are two main approaches:
𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗲𝘇𝗲-𝗱𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗱 (𝗹𝘆𝗼𝗽𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗱) 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘀𝗺𝗮 and 𝘀𝗽𝗿𝗮𝘆-𝗱𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘀𝗺𝗮. Both produce a powder that can be stored at room temperature and reconstituted in minutes.

𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗮𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱:

In August 2024, the FDA issued an Emergency Use Authorization for Octapharma's freeze-dried plasma product, 𝗢𝗰𝘁𝗮𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘀𝗟𝗚 𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗱𝗲𝗿, for U.S. military use only, in combat-related hemorrhage when conventional plasma is not available or practical. This is not approved for civilian EMS use. The product had not undergone controlled clinical efficacy studies at the time of authorization.

In August 2025, 𝗩𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗼 𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 announced completion of a Phase I first-in-human trial of its 𝘀𝗽𝗿𝗮𝘆-𝗱𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗱 plasma product, FrontlineODP, in healthy volunteers. The dose-escalation, randomized, crossover study reported no serious adverse events. The company has stated the product is investigational and not FDA approved for any indication.

Recent randomized clinical trial evidence on freeze-dried plasma in prehospital trauma resuscitation has shown the product is 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲, but has not demonstrated a clear mortality benefit compared with existing plasma strategies. That is an important honesty point. Promising logistics, encouraging safety data, but the survival case is still being built.

For now, dried plasma remains a 𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗹 in the United States. It is a serious step toward earlier hemorrhage control, and it is not yet a civilian EMS standard of care.

We will keep an eye on the data. So should you.

Pediatric calls make even seasoned providers' palms sweat. They are less common than adult calls in most EMS systems, which means less rep time, which means more pressure when they happen. The federal EMS for Children (EMSC) program exists because pediatric care needs its own focus, training, and equipment.

A few things that consistently help on pediatric calls:

𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹.
Kneel down. Soft voice. Use the parent as an anchor when possible. A calm child gives you better vitals and a better history.

𝗨𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗧𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗲.
Appearance. Work of breathing. Circulation to skin. You can complete it in seconds across the room before you ever touch the patient. The American Academy of Pediatrics and EMSC promote this framework as a fast, structured way to identify a sick kid.

𝗟𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵-𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗱𝗼𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀 𝘀𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗸𝗶𝗱𝘀.
Tape, app, or chart. Use them. Pediatric medication errors are a known prehospital risk, and length-based systems significantly reduce dosing errors.

𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴.
Retractions, grunting, nasal flaring, head bobbing. These are the early language of respiratory distress. Respiratory failure is a leading path to pediatric cardiac arrest. Catching it early changes outcomes.

𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲.
A parent in the back can be a huge clinical asset. A scared kid behaves very differently when mom or dad is there.

𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀:
Trust your gut. If your child's breathing changes, color changes, or they become unusually sleepy or limp, call 911. We would rather come and find a healthy kid than wish we had been called sooner.

To every provider running pediatric calls this week, you are doing one of the hardest things in this job. We see you.

What's the pediatric tip you'd give a brand-new EMT? Drop it below.

Shift work is hard on your body. Studies on healthcare and emergency shift workers consistently link irregular eating, sleep disruption, and high-fat fast food to higher risks of cardiovascular disease, weight gain, and metabolic problems. EMS Safety Day isn't only about scene safety. It is also about how you fuel the human running the call.

You don't need a meal plan from a magazine. You need a system.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗠𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗱 (𝗨𝗦𝗗𝗔 / 𝗗𝗶𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗚𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗔𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟬-𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱)
Half your plate vegetables and fruit, a quarter lean protein, a quarter whole grains. Add water. That's it.

𝗠𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗽 𝗶𝗻 𝟲𝟬 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲𝘀
Pick one protein, one carb, one vegetable. Cook all three at once. Portion into 4 to 5 containers.
Easy combos that travel well:
- Grilled chicken, brown rice, roasted broccoli.
- Lean ground turkey, sweet potato, sautéed spinach.
- Hard-boiled eggs, oatmeal cups, fruit, Greek yogurt for breakfasts.

𝗦𝗵𝗶𝗳𝘁 𝗦𝗻𝗮𝗰𝗸𝘀 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗗𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝗪𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗸 𝗬𝗼𝘂
- Mixed nuts and a piece of fruit.
- Greek yogurt and berries.
- Beef jerky and an apple.
- Hummus and carrots.

𝗛𝘆𝗱𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
Aim for water before coffee, and water between coffees. Caffeine is a tool. It is not a meal.

𝗔𝘁 𝟬𝟯𝟬𝟬
If you have to eat from the gas station, look for: a banana, string cheese, jerky, plain nuts, hard-boiled eggs, a protein shake. You'll feel the difference at 0500.

𝗢𝗳𝗳 𝗦𝗵𝗶𝗳𝘁
Cook one extra portion at dinner. That's tomorrow's lunch, done.

You take care of patients all day. Take care of the person doing the lifting, the driving, the thinking. That is also a safety practice.

What's your favorite shift meal? Drop the recipe below.

First shift jitters? Good. That feeling means you respect the job. Here is what no textbook tells you on Day One.

Welcome to EMS. Whether it is your first day as an EMT, AEMT, or paramedic, here is what experienced providers wish someone had told them.

𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐮𝐩 𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲. 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐟𝐭.
“On time” in EMS often means late. Get there 15 minutes early, check your truck, and introduce yourself. First impressions stick.

𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐤 𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐤𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐨𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥.
Verify oxygen, suction, monitor, batteries, drugs, airway kit, and bag locations. The middle of a pediatric arrest is not when you discover a dead laryngoscope battery.

𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬.
Airway. Breathing. Circulation. Bleeding control. Spinal motion restriction when indicated. Solid BLS will save more lives than any single advanced skill. The American Heart Association still emphasizes high-quality CPR and early defibrillation as the foundation of cardiac arrest survival.

𝐀𝐬𝐤 𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬. 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐬𝐤 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞.
Your partner has seen things you have not. The dumb question is the one you do not ask before it matters.

𝐃𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐭.
Because it might be. Times, vitals, interventions, and patient statements in quotes when relevant.

𝐄𝐚𝐭. 𝐇𝐲𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞. 𝐏𝐞𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧.
You cannot pour from an empty cup, and dehydration plus 24 hours plus stress is a real performance killer.

𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐞.
You will see hard things. Talk to your partner, your peer support, your therapist. Silence is not strength in this profession.

𝐓𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐧.
A BLS Save,A solid handoff. A scared kid who smiled at the end. Stack those wins. They carry you through the heavy calls.

You belong here. The fact that you are reading this means you care. That matters more than you know.

𝐓𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐢𝐞𝐬: 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞. 𝐓𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐯𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬: 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐨𝐧 𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝐎𝐧𝐞? 𝐓𝐚𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐰.

The job will outlast your back, your knees, and your sleep schedule if you let it. Train
like you want a 30-year career, not a 5-year one.

EMS clinicians have an injury rate roughly 4 times higher than the average U.S. worker, and sprains and strains are the most common injuries treated. Most happen during patient
lifting, transferring, and moving. Translation: the way you train off the rig directly affects
how long you stay on it.

You don’t need a powerlifting background.

You need consistency, mobility, and load
tolerance. Two repeatable plans below. Pick the one that matches your access. Both are 3 days per week. Both build the same things: hinge, squat, push, pull, carry, brace.
Important: Talk to your physician before starting any new program, especially if you have prior injuries or cardiovascular concerns.

Plan A — Gym-Based (3 days, ~45 min)
Day 1: Trap bar deadlift 4x5, Goblet squat 3x8, DB bench press 3x8, Farmer carry 3x40 yards.

Day 2: Front squat 4x5, Pull-up or lat
pulldown 3x8, DB row 3x10, Hanging knee raise 3x10.

Day 3: RDL 3x6, Step-up 3x8/leg,
Push-up 3x12, Suitcase carry 3x30 yards/side.

Plan B — Bodyweight / Minimal Equipment (3 days, ~30 min)

Day 1: Goblet squat or jump squat 4x10, Push-up 4x AMRAP, Glute bridge 3x15, Plank 3x45 sec.

Day 2: Reverse lunge 3x10/leg, Inverted row or backpack row 3x10, Side plank 3x30 sec/side, Dead bug 3x10.

Day 3: Single-leg RDL 3x8/leg, Pike push-up 3x8, Hollow hold 3x30 sec, Backpack carry 3x60
sec.

Add 20 to 30 minutes of zone-2 cardio (conversational pace) twice a week. The CDC and

WHO recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity plus 2 strength sessions
per week.

You’re not training to win a meet. You’re training to lift the next patient safely, to recover from the next 24, and to be there for your family in 20 years.

What does your week look like? Drop your favorite shift-friendly workout in the comments.

Most days, you do not get a thank you.
This week, you should.

𝗘𝗠𝗦 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝗿𝘂𝗻𝘀 𝗠𝗮𝘆 𝟭𝟳 𝘁𝗼 𝟮𝟯. The theme this year, set by ACEP and NAEMT, is “𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗢𝘂𝘁𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀, 𝗧𝗼𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿.” It is a reminder that better patient outcomes come from EMTs, paramedics, dispatchers, nurses, ER teams, and bystanders all pulling on the same rope.

The work is heavier than most people see:
• Roughly 𝟮𝟲𝟯,𝟳𝟭𝟭 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests were treated by EMS in the US in 2024 (AHA / CARES).

• Survival to hospital discharge for those patients is still only about 𝟭𝟬.𝟱%.

• Every percentage point moved is a person who went home.

EMS Week also includes 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵, 𝗪𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗗𝗮𝘆 on Sunday. That part matters too. You cannot pour from an empty rig.
If you are an EMT, paramedic, firefighter, ER nurse, or dispatcher, thank you. The early mornings, the bad calls, the holidays missed, the moments no one will ever post about.

They count.

We are proud to train, support, and stand alongside this community. Tag someone in EMS who deserves a shout this week. We will see them.

Today is 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗙𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘀.

Here is a stat the American Heart Association wants every household to hear.

73.4% of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests happen 𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗲. (AHA)

That means the life you might one day save is most likely someone you love. A spouse. A parent. A child. A neighbor across the fence.

The hard part: only about 4 in 10 victims get CPR from a bystander before EMS arrives. (AHA)

The hopeful part: immediate bystander CPR can 𝗱𝗼𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗲 the chance of survival. (AHA)

A few minutes of training is what stands between watching and helping.

𝗧𝗿𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗼𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸:
• Practice hands-only CPR on a couch cushion. Push hard, push fast, 100 to 120 per minute.
• Walk the kids through how to call 911.
• Find the nearest AED at your gym, school, or workplace.
• Talk through who calls vs. who starts compressions.

You do not need to be a paramedic. You just need to be ready.

Curious about a family or workplace CPR class? Send us a message and we will help you pick the right fit.

The first person on scene almost never wears a uniform.

It is usually someone like you.

𝗘𝗠𝗦 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗦𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗠𝗮𝘆 𝟭𝟳. The 2026 theme from ACEP and NAEMT is “𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗢𝘂𝘁𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀, 𝗧𝗼𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿.” One of the daily themes, 𝗦𝗮𝘃𝗲-𝗔-𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝗗𝗮𝘆, exists for a simple reason. Bystanders almost always arrive before EMS.

A few things worth knowing:
• About 𝟮𝟲𝟯,𝟳𝟭𝟭 EMS-treated cardiac arrests happened outside hospitals in the US in 2024.

• Only about 𝟰𝟭.𝟳% of those patients got CPR from a bystander before EMS arrived.

• When CPR is started right away, it can 𝗱𝗼𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗲 the chance of survival, according to the American Heart Association.

The good news is that the skill is teachable in a single short class. You do not need to be perfect. You need to be willing to 𝗽𝘂𝘀𝗵 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗱, 𝗽𝘂𝘀𝗵 𝗳𝗮𝘀𝘁, and not stop until help arrives.
If you have been meaning to learn CPR, this is a great week to do it. Take a class. Refresh an old card. Walk through it with your family at the kitchen table. Every trained bystander shortens the gap between collapse and survival.

We are local, we teach nationally, and we are here whenever you are ready.

ACCLIMATIZATION - START SMART

The first hot days can be harder than they look.

That is especially true for new workers, returning seasonal crews, and teams moving from cooler spring weather into summer conditions.

Heat safety is not only about what happens during the hottest week of the year. It starts earlier, when supervisors decide how fast people are expected to work, how much recovery time is built into the shift, and whether the schedule gives the body time to adjust.

NIOSH calls this acclimatization: gradually increasing time in hot conditions. NIOSH recommends building heat exposure over 7 to 14 days. For new workers, NIOSH recommends no more than 20% of the usual duration of work in the heat on day 1, then increasing by 20% each day when conditions allow.

For experienced workers returning to heat, NIOSH recommends starting at no more than 50% of usual heat-work duration on day 1, then stepping up over the next several days.

That is not weakness. It is planning.

Heat risk can increase with temperature, humidity, sunshine, low air movement, heavier work, and protective clothing or equipment. That means a good plan should consider the job, the environment, and the person doing the work.

Supervisors can support safer work by adjusting workload, allowing rest and water breaks when workers feel heat discomfort, keeping cool water near the work area, and making early reporting normal.

Before summer gets busy, ask a simple question: does the schedule protect the person doing the work?

Life Saving Education supports practical, field-aware safety training for teams that need clear guidance, not scare tactics.

About 10,000 workplace cardiac arrests happen in the US every year, according to OSHA data cited by the American Heart Association.

Half of employees cannot tell you where the AED is.

EMS Week 2026 (May 17 to 23) is a good moment for employers and safety managers to look at the in-between window. The minutes between collapse and EMS arrival. That window is where outcomes are won or lost.

A few questions worth running through this week:

• Do your people know where the AED is, and is it accessible in under a minute?

• Is at least one trained CPR/AED responder on every shift?

• When did your team last actually practice, not just watch a video?

• Are visitors, contractors, and standby coverage included in your plan?

The 2026 EMS Week theme from ACEP and NAEMT is “Improving Outcomes, Together.” For workplaces, that means the chain of survival starts long before EMS rolls up. It starts at the front desk, in the warehouse, on the jobsite, in the clinic hallway.

We work with employers across construction, healthcare, manufacturing, and public agencies on CPR, BLS, AED readiness, and on-site standby coverage. If you want a fresh set of eyes on your plan, we are easy to reach.

HEAT ILLNESS
ACT EARLY

A heat illness plan should answer one question fast:

What do we do when someone does not look right?

That question matters on a construction site, at a public works job, during EMS coverage, on a fireground, inside a hot warehouse, or anywhere people are working hard in heat.

Heat-related illness is easier to address when teams recognize concerns early and know what to do next. That starts with training. NIOSH recommends training workers and supervisors to recognize signs and symptoms of heat-related illness, understand first aid, report symptoms early, and know response procedures.

A buddy system can also help because workers should not be left to monitor themselves alone when heat stress is a hazard. NIOSH recommends a buddy system where workers observe each other for signs of heat-related illness.

CDC guidance for outdoor workers is direct: if a worker feels faint or weak, they should stop all activity and get to a cool place. CDC also advises seeking medical care immediately if a worker or coworker has symptoms of heat-related illness.

This is not about panic. It is about making the response simple enough to remember during a busy shift:

Spot the concern.
Speak up early.
Move to a cooler place.
Escalate when symptoms are present.

For first responders and safety-sensitive teams, heat training should be practical, repeated, and easy to apply under pressure.

Life Saving Education can help your team turn written guidance into training that supports early recognition, clear communication, and safer decision-making.