Pages Menu
TwitterRssFacebook
Categories Menu

Posted by on Oct 1, 2014 in Education & Training, Events & Appearances, Keynotes & General Sessions | 0 comments

From Lake Placid to Lake Tahoe

From Lake Placid to Lake Tahoe

romduck travel

Fall tends to be about the busiest time that I have presenting at conferences and this September kicked off with three weeks of travel to some of my favorite conferences with my favorite co-EMS Educator who also happens to be my ever-lovely wife Betsy. As we hit the road together for what will be the last time for a bit (as we’re preparing for the arrival of our first child in December) I think we’re paying special attention to enjoying spending time with friends that we meet along the way.

When we began this venture (traveling and teaching) that’s what we decided to do and I’m glad to say that with the large commitment that it takes to bring our show on the road we still enjoy every minute of it.

Romduck Keynote

We began at a conference that is new to us, the Initial Assessment Conference in upstate New York at beautiful Lake Placed, right by the Olympic Center. A very cool place with very cool people. Next stop was further down in New York and a bit closer to home for us, but one that we wouldn’t miss for the world, the Pulse Check conference whose educational content is organized by our good friends Mike McEvoy and Richard Beebe. Our third stop and final trip together for a while was a bit further. I presented the a preconference session and the opening keynote presentation for the National Association of EMS Educators NAEMSE Symposium. I’m happy to say that despite the challenge that  the King wildfire nearby in California presented, the conference was very successful and for those of us who got to tour the area a bit, Lake Tahoe and the Sierra Nevada mountains were amazing.

Sierra Nevadas

The reason that I mention it is that I believe very strongly that to remain safe, effective, happy and sane in emergency services, you have to be able to enjoy your work and your family/personal life. Sometimes you have to make sure that you’re taking time so these two aspects of your life don’t encroach on each other. Other times you if you can make those two things work together, that can be okay to. Either way, if you get a chance to travel, whether it is a short drive or a 5 hour plane ride away, take the opportunity to not only learn something new from someone from another part of our great country, but take a minute to make new friends or enjoy the company of old friends in a new place. Take every opportunity you can. Any steps you can take in that direction will be worth the walk. Trust me.

Thanks, and I hope to see you out there!