In this episode, Matt Nealand sits down with Steve Tafoya, a critical-care paramedic, U.S. Coast Guard veteran, EMS educator, and former State EMS Program Manager for Nevada.
With more than 25 years of experience across frontline care, regulation, leadership, and system design, Steve brings a unique perspective on how to improve EMS, build better leaders, and prepare the next generation for the realities of public safety.

This episode covers:
• High-risk decision-making
• What EMS must fix to grow
• Leadership development in public safety
• Clinical access challenges
• Building systems that serve providers and patients

🎧 Listen now on Podlink: https://pod.link/1810050200

Watch here: https://youtu.be/zoQeokPLPEM

In this powerful episode of the EMTS Academy Podcast, Matt Nealand sits down with Dr. Don Wood, founder of the Inspired Performance Institute and creator of the TIPP Method, to unpack how unresolved trauma, chronic stress, and environmental triggers quietly sabotage human performance—especially for EMS professionals.

Dr. Wood explains why the brain isn't "broken" but simply interrupted, and how healing old patterns can unlock clarity, emotional regulation, and higher-level decision-making. Matt and Dr. Wood explore how this applies to EMTs, paramedics, and anyone working in high-stakes environments.

In this episode you'll learn:

· Why trauma is not what people think it is

· How the brain stores "glitches" that interrupt performance

· Why EMS providers often carry invisible burdens from calls

· How to reset the nervous system and reduce triggers

· The science behind the TIPP Method

· Practical steps to improve focus, emotional stability, and sleep

🎧 Listen now: https://pod.link/1810050200

Rebekah Gregory's story: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hM4CCauqEhs

Evan Carmichael goes through the process: https://youtu.be/pIU1TsnrDeQ?si=e4ogadhtnTVZuGjy

Dr. Don Wood: https://www.inspiredperformanceinstitute.com/

Ready to get your EMT or paramedic certification? Or want EMS training at your department? Or ready to get your Bachelor's Degree in Health Sciences EMS from Texas State University? Reach out here: www.EMTSAcademy.com

When lives are on the line, you don't just need skills — you need a framework for making clear decisions under pressure.

In this special EMTS Academy session, Program Director and paramedic of nearly 30 years Matt Neland sits down with Justin "Hasard" Lee, F-16/F-35 fighter pilot and author of The Art of Clear Thinking, to translate combat-tested decision frameworks directly into EMS.

Hazard shares a gripping story from Afghanistan, where a fuel emergency, a destroyed runway, and a team of strangers in the sky turned into a masterclass in calm, coordinated decision making. Together, Matt and Hasard walk through the five laws of ownership and the ACE decision framework — adapted specifically for EMTs and paramedics.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• Why good teams focus on tasks but great teams own the outcome

• The Five Laws of Ownership and how they map directly to EMS

• The ACE framework (Assess–Choose–Execute) for high-stakes decisions

• How to "wind the clock" and avoid freezing when everything goes sideways

• The power of micro-debriefs and the "3×3" method to get better after every shift

• How to build a culture where people take ownership instead of waiting for orders

Whether you're a new EMT or a seasoned paramedic, this conversation will change how you think about leadership, decision making, and teamwork on every call.

🎧 Listen now and learn how to think more clearly when seconds count.