On this episode we are joined by Brent Lewis, with Correll Insurance, Inc. Brent is the Regional Sales Director and Producer for VFIS of South Carolina. He helps us explore the role of service animals in emergency services to include roles, certifications, training, deployment and what legal protections are in place through the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Brent also shares a personal and amazing journey with " Maggie ", his own service animal!

A lack of understanding, limited communication, and stereotypes are just a few of the reasons that 911/communication center personnel and field first responders, like firefighters and EMS personnel, may have some animosity towards one another.

However, breaking down barriers between your emergency service organizations and establishing better relationships may not only help improve your working relationships—but benefit your entire emergency response system as well.

In this episode, Chris Rodgers and Blair Tyndall, VFIS Industry Specialists, offer a few ideas help establish better "off air communications" and relationships within your response chain.

EMS teams are often asked to be on standby at events, like community gatherings and sporting activities, to provide assistance if a participant or spectator needs medical aid.

However, while these scenarios are common, they're not without risk to your organization.

For example, these events are often contacted on either a dedicated or non-dedicated basis, meaning you may or may not be obligated to leave the event to respond to 911 calls, which should drastically change your written agreement for the event to help protect your organization.

Join Chris Rodgers and David Bradley, VFIS Industry Specialists, as they discuss risks to be aware of and best practices to help protect your EMS agency during standby assignments.