May 14, 2012
by The Unwired Medic
0 comments
I’m a Paramedic ( or EMT, or First Responder), and it’s my job to provide great, uncompromising care to my patients. I will speak out, complain, and even rant and rave until my patients’ needs are met!
(I saw this at one of my community health nurse’s offices this week and it reminded me of what I try to do for my patients, even when it means stepping on a few toes in the process. I hope it affects you the way it affects me.)
April 28, 2012
by The Unwired Medic
1 Comment
I’m quite experienced on Android phones and hacking them too, so I can point you to many resources if you want to make your phone do more than the phone carrier you are using sticks you with (and believe me the phone can do a lot more than they let you). I’m picky about what I allow to remain on the phone, and I hate apps that start themselves without my permission. My phone can do almost as much as my PC, including output the image to a projector or HDMI LCD, so I can present, edit things, design, record, photograph, message with e-mail and social media, play games, and more. Now here’s a list that doesn’t include every app I’d LIKE to have on there since I don’t have enough space on my current Motorola Triumph to run more, but I either have or have used every one of these apps before.
Presently on my Android phone:
That should keep anyone busy for a few minutes.
April 23, 2012
by The Unwired Medic
2 Comments
Well, this isn’t electronic, but it is unwired! When I worked at “The Star” in Fort Worth, we had a tradition I walked into where you would be inside the ER delivering your patient, and another crew would drop a bowling ball in an external compartment. When you’d take off for your post or your next call, rounding a corner or a quick deceleration, you’d hear a “whump, whump, whump, THUNK!” This works best in a busier system that runs several units per shift or SSM. It’s probably not so much fun when you operate in a one or two unit system.
Rules are simple:
For a little extra fun, have it engraved so it adds a little sentimental value, then if another agency mysteriously winds up with it, they can return it at the next ER rendezvous.
April 13, 2012
by The Unwired Medic
0 comments
Great news! The First Responder Quick Reference Guide, provided by AFV Safety Training (www.afvsafetytraining.org) by the National Alternative Fuels Training Consortium and West Virginia University Research Corp. is now available for the Android platform, as well as the previously released iOS version. Read on to learn why would you need the QRG…
The Android app is 11.89MB and took me about two minutes to download and install on WiFi. The iOS version took about the same amount of time on WiFi. On the iPhone, I have one extra feature, called Gallery, which simply provides a photo of the stock vehicle, so I can’t say I’m missing it in the Android version. What is a bit disappointing on the Android edition is that when I open a vehicle diagram to see the high-voltage or airbag lines, it doesn’t offer pinch-to-zoom like the iOS version, so that means you’ll need an Android device with a bigger screen. I hope they can make this feature available in an update soon. I think the Android app is still more than adequate. The app also has a teaching feature (called simply “Tour” on Android and “Quick Tour” on iOS) to show you how to use it, so I’d start there the first time I run the app, then experiment on my own (as you should always be familiar with your equipment, or in this case, app, before you have to use it in the field). All in all, it appears to be a great reference for dealing with the plethora of hybrids, electrics, and biofueled vehicles amassing on the roadways. It certainly makes me feel more confident in approaching one of these vehicles to extricate a patient, versus the way I was taught to deal with the first generation of hybrid electric cars. We were told to treat every one of the original Toyota Priuses and Honda Insights as HazMat incidents due to all the batteries.
The Android version isn’t yet listed on their website, so make sure you use this link they provided me in the notification e-mail, or search the Google Play store directly (it came up as the second item in the search)…
Get the Android version from Google Play here: http://bit.ly/HCPecm
And if you want it for your Apple iPhone or iPad device, you can use the following link…
Get the iOS version from the App Store here: http://itunes.apple.com/ie/app/qrg/id466857863?mt=8
April 3, 2012
by The Unwired Medic
0 comments
I just received the alert from Instagram via e-mail that they have released the Instagram app. On my Android, I tried searching Google Play for it and came up empty-handed, so here is the link for you to try for yourself:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.instagram.android
So the wait is over, and Apple users no longer have the world’s most popular photo app all to themselves. I can’t wait to see what gets produced and uploaded now! If you want to follow my Instagram account, I am username: unwiredmedic (how original, huh?). Let me know your username in the comments below and I’ll follow you back! Cheers and please be safe!
March 25, 2012
by The Unwired Medic
0 comments
I like to listen in to what the other agencies are busy doing from time to time. I can’t justify buying my own scanner at no less than $100 for a decent one, so I use an app called Scanner Radio by Gordon Edwards. When I say there are more than a few scanner networks included, I’m under-exaggerating. There are thousands of channels, including some regional NOAA weather radio stations too. The free version has an ad that scrolls through at the bottom once you start listening to a scanner.
I have two favorite buttons from the home screen. One is a “Favorites” button, and the other is the “Near Me” button that checks your local area and returns a list of what stations are close to you, along with a tally of how many listeners there are at the time. You can also search for a preferred station from the home page. Once you start listening to a feed, you can open the menu (with the menu button) and select “Add to favorites”. Audio pauses when a phone call comes in and is supposed to resume automatically, but I have occasionally had to manually restart the feed. I’ve used the app when we do Paramedic Academy overnight scenarios, as I often get tasked to play firefighter or LEO and I let the local stations feed over the built-in speakers to create additional background noise and confusion on scene or during “report taking” after one of the interns lets their narc bag get stolen. Interns could conceivably listen in to radio reports to the hospitals to see how they should structure their patient reports before heading out to the field.
Working now in Public Health, I have gotten heads up on hazmat responses where we may have to respond to provide support. Most notably, it came in handy when the Reno Air Races crash occurred, and I listened in to the chatter. It provides a chance to listen to how things are going, so improvements can be suggested, and when you aren’t responsible for being in the middle of the action where it isn’t prudent to be paying attention to anything but the task at hand. There are a couple advantages to having the pro version, which include no ads (which has come to light recently as a HUGE battery waster on Android and presumably other devices as well), and the quick start button on the home page giving you access to jump right to the last feed you were running before you closed the app last.
Even for the free version, I’d give this app an 8/10 for giving a great user interface, and for doing what it should with virtually no hassle. The pro version is just $2.99 on Google Play. It’s available for Android, iOS, and Blackberry. You can easily find both the free and pro versions in your device’s app market and on the Amazon Appstore. Learn more about the app on their Facebook page.
Have you used the app? What are your thoughts on it? Have you used it for anything other than just listening in?
March 18, 2012
by The Unwired Medic
0 comments
A few months ago, a nice gent named Jason Calhoun 
had a prize drawing and I won two of his apps. I chose the System Info Widget and the Quick Apps Launcher.
I’ve had the System Info Widget running on the last 4 Android phones I’ve owned. I wouldn’t imagine having any Android phone without it. You have several home screen widget options available with it, including 1-5 blocks of icons that tell you everything you need to know about your phone’s status, including the temperature of your phone in Fahrenheit or Celsius or both (I had an Apple iPhone employee on their dev team once tell me the iPhone had to be operated within a certain temperature range or it just wouldn’t work), the amount of hard drive space, available RAM, battery life, ringer profiles, a reboot button, system uptime, Android version, signal strength, and turning on/off wireless/Bluetooth/Airplane/2G & 3 toggle/GPS. There are also a whole host of other configuration and display options. To activate it, you need only to press and hold on a blank area on your home screen and select “Widgets”. Then scroll down to find one of the four System Info Widget options in horizontal or vertical configuration (1×1, 1×4, 3×1, 4×1). You could even place 2 rows or columns of these widgets to get the most amount of info or quick functions on your Android at any given time. This app is a solid 10/10 to me and I plan on having it on every future Android phone I’ll own (I’m certain there’ll be more 
.
Next up is Quick Apps. Please note that what I’m going to be saying here is not at all negative. Again, this app gets a 10/10 for doing exactly what it is intended for with no complaints or hassles, and it doesn’t take much system memory to do its job. Although I can’t say I’ve used the Quick Apps much since upgrading from Android version 2.1 to 2.2 and now 2.3, it certainly isn’t the fault of Mr. Calhoun’s talent at app development. I just have been using the stock options (I also have a pretty weak spec’ed Android phone until Virgin Mobile comes out with something more substantial than low-end or decides to allow non-VM branded phones on their network). I ran it on my rooted Nook Color tablet just fine as well. I think it would work fantastic if you were one of those demented people who likes a clean, minimalist desktop (or in this case, home screen), and if you only wanted access to a couple apps by quick touch. I run about 15 different apps every day, so I have just resorted to loading my home screen with 5 pages of app shortcuts and widgets, and yes, my desktop, although organized, is quite busy. This app loads widgets with or without an analog clock, offers two theme options, and of course, app shortcuts.
Drop by Jason’s website and see these apps and more for yourself at http://www.jasoncalhoun.com/
March 15, 2012
by The Unwired Medic
0 comments
I have a government issued Crack Blackberry Bold to go along with my personal Android. I’m already on my second Blackberry (a Verizon Blackberry Bold 9650), as the first one issued to me, brand-new, out-of-the-box, absolutely wouldn’t run more than six hours before dying. It was always very warm to the touch over the battery, and replacing the battery with another new one was no good. It was put out to the warranty pasture within a week of issuance, and replaced with an identical model, which thus far has given me no real trouble. The boss’ boss said if I had any more trouble with this one, I could have ANY phone I want, and he meant it too! Naturally, I’m hoping this phone will be deceased in short order, especially because I am not very fond of the device interface (but that’s for another post), but being a man of integrity, I will not precipitate this unit’s demise, so I have decided to make the most of the device I do have in my hands. Here are the apps I have used, in some cases, for many years, on previous smartphones, and now on my Blackberry…
| App name (in alphabetical order) and brief app description: |
Click on the QR Code to visit the App World page. To scan the QR Code, open App World on your device, then open the menu and select “Scan a Barcode”. |
| Dropbox – File sharing and syncing from phone, to tablet, to PC, to Mac, and every which way in between. Start with 2GB free (the least of the main file sharing and syncing services) and get 500MB free for yourself and 250MB free for a friend when they sign up using your referral link (here’s mine if you want to use it to sign up: Register for a free Dropbox account). Complete the tour and get 250MB free. Recently, they added a Camera Upload feature to give users 3GB more free (only when using camera upload for new pictures and videos), but I have tried and tried to do this with no success. There are paid upgrades available. |
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| ePocrates – As I stated in a previous post, I think ePocrates is pretty much the cat’s meow when it comes to pharmaceutical references. Since I covered it on depth before, I won’t elaborate here. My suggestion is that you have a decent wi-fi connection or it will take a long time to install, then update and sync all the data. |
No QR Code for this one since you don’t get it direct from App World. |
| Free Flashlight (2-in-1) – I use this app often enough that I programmed the left side button to activate the camera LED. It comes in handy when you suddenly find yourself in a dark room and need a bright light. There is also a screen light, which activates the LCD for a less intense light, or in case you don’t have a camera LED. |
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| In Case of Emergency (ICE) – Exactly what you think. I added this to the top row of my favorites so you’ll see it right away on my home screen. Just run it and fill in whatever info you want on the form. I know there are many variations of this type of app, but I liked this one. |
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| QR Code Scanner Pro – First benefit? It’s free. Second, it scans every QR code I toss at it with no complaining. It simply works. |
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| Relief Central – by Unbound Medicine, the same folks who publish the Merck Manual and all those “5-Minute… Consult” guides. A handy medical reference indeed, designed for disaster responders. Relief Central includes The World Factbook from the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), the Field Operations Guide from USAID, the CDC Health Information for International Travel (The Yellow Book), MEDLINE Journals, and Relief News from the CDC, Red Cross, FEMA, ReliefWeb, and more. This free resource delivers up-to-date information to assist those sent to disaster sites. What they don’t tell you on the App World page or even in the app is that you must first register for the app (free), which consists of your name, e-mail, and profession category, then they e-mail you a serial number to activate the app on your device. You should also install and initially run this app on a decent wi-fi connection or it will take a long time to sync and update. Go to Unbound Medicine – Blackberry to register. |
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| Skyscape Medical Resources – Also, an extremely handy medical reference, Skyscape gives you access to calculators, abstracts, and tons of other useful medical references and guides. They also have many premium products and have been in the mobile device publishing arena since the original Palm and Windows PocketPC days. Now, just like Relief Central, the App World page makes no mention of needing to register, but the app will tell you to register on first use to sync data. It’s free… just go to www.skyscape.com and click the “My account” link on the top left, or, you should be able to create the new account from the app itself. |
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| SugarSync – You know, the more I use SugarSync, the more I like it. For signing up, you get 5GB free, then up to another 750MB free for doing the “Getting Started” tour, then 250MB more for installing and running the tutorial on your mobile device (that’s now 6GB free), and then 500MB free for you and every person who signs up with your referral link (like this one: SugarSync referral link). |
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| Tune-In Radio – Listen to nearly every radio station in the country (or even not in the country), plus they have a ton of free online scanner feeds for police, fire, and EMS. Not much need to go to RadioShack and buy a $200 scanner when you can stream it right into your phone from the web. I like to listen to some radio stations from areas I used to live in for the sake of nostalgia too. There is a Pro version available without ads, but this one is the freebie version. |
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| WISER (Wireless Information System for Emergency Responders) – Developed by the US National Library of Medicine / National Institutes of Health (NLM-NIH), WISER is a system designed to assist first responders in hazardous material incidents. WISER provides a wide range of information on hazardous substances, including substance identification support, physical characteristics, human health information, and containment and suppression advice. There is also a web version, aptly named WebWISER. Learn more at : http://wiser.nlm.nih.gov/ |
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March 12, 2012
by The Unwired Medic
4 Comments
Here’s a taste of a few blogs I drop in on from time to time, and I would encourage you to check out for yourself…
Steve Whitehead hosts The EMT Spot, and he has recently revamped his site. Not only is his site looking snazzy, he’s sporting a new logo too (courtesy of yours truly). I truly like his site because his articles appeal to all levels of certification, not just Paramedics.
Greg Friese runs a blog called Everyday EMS Tips. He writes about all topics EMS, from unconventional things to carry in your ditty bag to favorite apps, to hot topics in EMS, and continuing education. Greg also recaps his favorite posts from other authors to make sure you get a broad flavoring of posts you may not have otherwise found on your own. He’s also very good at social media and an education expert.
Rogue Medic has of late been tackling tough topics in EMS, and although I don’t agree with everything said on the blog, it makes me stop and think about why I believe what I believe. I remember a certain textbook author/physician challenging us to do the same thing with his EMS Myths a few years ago. Agree or disagree, but be honest with yourself enough to know WHY you feel the way you do.
Like it or not, social media is everywhere public safety is. Ignore it at your own peril, even if you are not an agency PIO. The Social Medic shows you how to make it work for you!
Feel good medicine… The Happy Medic has a little of everything too, including support of the Kilted To Kick Cancer movement, plus leadership tips too.
If you don’t mind a little cynicism, Too Old To Work, Too Young To Retire has a bit of that. As the tagline goes, “Paramedicine, politics, guns, a little Country Western”.
I hope you enjoy reading these as much as I do. This isn’t a complete list of what I like to read, but it is what came to mind just this moment. Find us all on Twitter, Google +, and a few other microblogging/social media places. Make sure you don’t miss out on any posts by subscribing to their (and my) RSS feeds. Thanks for reading!
March 12, 2012
by The Unwired Medic
0 comments
