Podcast
Valor Flight Crew
Hosted by Mike Fadale and Blake Shrider · EN
Produced in partnership with ECHO (Every Coast Helicopter Operations), the Valor Flight Crew Podcast promotes the personnel and life-saving equipment behind helicopter air ambulance services.
Join hosts Mike Fadale and Blake Shrider for in-depth interviews and expert insights from air medical personnel, pilots, communication specialists, and maintenance crews who play critical roles in airborne emergency response.
Both members of the ECHO team, Mike and Blake, have diverse backgrounds in public safety aviation and leadership, allowing them to bring unique perspectives and expertise to the Valor Flight Crew Podcast.
23episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
The Helicopter Air Ambulance Identity Crisis: Blending Aviation and Critical Care Part 1 | Ep 65
1w ago00:47:59Tap to summarizeWelcome back to the Valor Flight Crew Podcast, hosted by ECHO and brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS and Valor Plus.In today’s episode, we are joined again by researcher, educator, and seasoned flight paramedic Russell Griffin for a thought-provoking conversation about the powerful connection between identity, culture, and safety, in the air medical world.Together, we explore what really shapes safety culture inside high-risk organizations—from the policies written on paper to the behaviors crews live out every day. We dive into how personal identity, professional background, and organizational expectations influence decision-making, communication, and crew dynamics in both aviation and healthcare environments.This episode takes an honest look at the challenges of blending aviation and medical cultures, the critical role of crew resource management, and why humility, vulnerability, and open dialogue, are essential for building strong teams and safer operations. It’s a conversation about leadership, accountability, and understanding how the culture we create directly impacts the care we provide and the risks we accept.So strap in, check your gauges, and join us as we lift into another conversation focused on safety, culture, and the people behind the mission.Thank you to our sponsors Airbus, Metro Aviation and Spectrum Aeromed.
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The Silence After Chaos: Culture Shock at 3000 ft Part 2 | Ep 64
2w ago01:01:31Tap to summarizeWelcome back to the Valor Flight Crew Podcast — hosted by ECHO and brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS and Valor Plus.In this episode of the Valor Flight Crew Podcast, we sit down with Ashley Barnes for an honest and educational conversation about the realities of entering the world of flight medicine. Together, we explore the transition from ground emergency medical services (EMS) into critical care air medical transport, the steep learning curve many new providers experience, and the emotional and professional challenges that come with working in high-acuity environments. Ashley shares her personal journey into flight medicine, offering insight into the onboarding process, the pressure many clinicians place on themselves, and the importance of mentorship and peer support in developing confidence and competence. This discussion dives into topics like imposter syndrome, quality assurance and feedback processes, burnout prevention, and the need for healthier conversations around mental health in EMS and air medical transport. The episode also highlights the importance of self-awareness, continuous learning, and building a supportive culture within the industry—especially for newer providers navigating high-stakes patient care for the first time. Through candid stories and practical perspectives, this conversation serves as both encouragement and education for clinicians at every stage of their careers. Whether you're considering a future in flight medicine, onboarding into critical care transport, or simply looking to become a stronger teammate and clinician, this episode offers valuable insight into resiliency, growth, and the power of mentorship in high acuity patient care environments. Thank you to our sponsors Precision Aviation Group, Spectrum Aeromed and Technisonic Industries.
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The Silence After Chaos: Culture Shock at 3000 ft Part 1 | Ep 63
3w ago01:02:50Tap to summarizeWelcome back to the Valor Flight Crew Podcast — hosted by ECHO and brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS and Valor Plus.In this episode of the Valor Flight Crew Podcast, we sit down with Ashley Barnes for an honest and educational conversation about the realities of entering the world of flight medicine. Together, we explore the transition from ground emergency medical services (EMS) into critical care air medical transport, the steep learning curve many new providers experience, and the emotional and professional challenges that come with working in high-acuity environments. Ashley shares her personal journey into flight medicine, offering insight into the onboarding process, the pressure many clinicians place on themselves, and the importance of mentorship and peer support in developing confidence and competence. This discussion dives into topics like imposter syndrome, quality assurance and feedback processes, burnout prevention, and the need for healthier conversations around mental health in EMS and air medical transport. The episode also highlights the importance of self-awareness, continuous learning, and building a supportive culture within the industry—especially for newer providers navigating high-stakes patient care for the first time. Through candid stories and practical perspectives, this conversation serves as both encouragement and education for clinicians at every stage of their careers. Whether you're considering a future in flight medicine, onboarding into critical care transport, or simply looking to become a stronger teammate and clinician, this episode offers valuable insight into resiliency, growth, and the power of mentorship in high acuity patient care environments. Thank you to our sponsors Airbus, Metro Aviation and Precision Aviation Group.
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Episode 62 - Future Flight Leaders: Preparing the Next Generation of Aviation Leadership Part 2
4w ago00:46:30Tap to summarizeWelcome back to the Valor Flight Crew Podcast — hosted by ECHO and brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS and Valor Plus.In this episode, we take a deep dive into a program that’s helping develop the next generation of leaders in our industry — the Future Flight Leaders initiative. Leadership in air medical transport goes far beyond clinical expertise or flight experience. It requires strong communication, mentorship, emotional intelligence, and the ability to guide teams through some of the most challenging roles in healthcare and aviation.Throughout this conversation, we’re joined by Christian Greengrass, John Hamilton and Mike Cohen--the three masterminds who helped build and shape the Future Flight Leaders program. Together, we explore how the initiative was created, the importance of developing soft skills in leadership, and why structured mentorship and training are essential for the continued growth of the air medical community.From building strong teams to creating a culture of support and professional development, this episode highlights how investing in leadership today creates a ripple effect that strengthens our entire industry.Thank you to our sponsors Airbus, Metro Aviation and Precision Aviation Group.
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Episode 61 - Future Flight Leaders: Preparing the Next Generation of Aviation Leadership Part 1
May 1300:45:34Tap to summarizeWelcome back to the Valor Flight Crew Podcast — hosted by ECHO and brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS and Valor Plus.In this episode, we take a deep dive into a program that’s helping develop the next generation of leaders in our industry — the Future Flight Leaders initiative. Leadership in air medical transport goes far beyond clinical expertise or flight experience. It requires strong communication, mentorship, emotional intelligence, and the ability to guide teams through some of the most challenging roles in healthcare and aviation.Throughout this conversation, we’re joined by Christian Greengrass, John Hamilton and Mike Cohen--the three masterminds who helped build and shape the Future Flight Leaders program. Together, we explore how the initiative was created, the importance of developing soft skills in leadership, and why structured mentorship and training are essential for the continued growth of the air medical community.From building strong teams to creating a culture of support and professional development, this episode highlights how investing in leadership today creates a ripple effect that strengthens our entire industry.Thank you to our sponsors Airbus, Metro Aviation and Precision Aviation Group.
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Episode 60 - Feel the HEAT: Training for Helicopter Emergencies - Part 2
May 600:58:58Tap to summarizeWelcome back to the Valor Flight Crew Podcast, hosted by ECHO and brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS and Valor Plus.In this episode, we’re joined by Chelsea Sibold (clwhite3@carilionclinic.org) from Carilion Clinic Life-Guard to talk about a critical piece of aviation safety that often happens long before a mission ever launches—HEAT, or Helicopter Emergency Accident Training.Chelsea shares how realistic, hands-on training helps prepare aviation crews and first responders for the moments we all hope never happen—aircraft emergencies on the ground. From aircraft shutdown and door operations to coordinated rescue and extrication, HEAT focuses on building the muscle memory and communication that matter when seconds count.We also dive into the power of interagency training, simple but effective ways to create realistic scenarios, and how strong partnerships between aviation programs, fire departments, and EMS crews can make the difference between chaos and coordination.Because in public safety aviation, safety isn’t just about flying the mission—it’s about preparing for the unexpected.So strap in, check your gauges, and join us as we lift into a conversation about training, teamwork, and building a stronger safety culture for the crews behind the mission.Thank you to our sponsors Airbus, Metro Aviation and Precision Aviation Group.
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Episode 59 - Feel the HEAT: Training for Helicopter Emergencies - Part 1
Apr 2900:54:38Tap to summarizeWelcome back to the Valor Flight Crew Podcast, hosted by ECHO and brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS and Valor Plus.In this episode, we’re joined by Chelsea Sibold (clwhite3@carilionclinic.org) from Carilion Clinic Life-Guard to talk about a critical piece of aviation safety that often happens long before a mission ever launches—HEAT, or Helicopter Emergency Accident Training.Chelsea shares how realistic, hands-on training helps prepare aviation crews and first responders for the moments we all hope never happen—aircraft emergencies on the ground. From aircraft shutdown and door operations to coordinated rescue and extrication, HEAT focuses on building the muscle memory and communication that matter when seconds count.We also dive into the power of interagency training, simple but effective ways to create realistic scenarios, and how strong partnerships between aviation programs, fire departments, and EMS crews can make the difference between chaos and coordination.Because in public safety aviation, safety isn’t just about flying the mission—it’s about preparing for the unexpected.So strap in, check your gauges, and join us as we lift into a conversation about training, teamwork, and building a stronger safety culture for the crews behind the mission.Thank you to our sponsors Airbus, Metro Aviation and Precision Aviation Group.
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Episode 58 - Unexpected Turbulence: When the Patient Becomes the Threat Part 2
Apr 1501:05:57Tap to summarizeWelcome back to the Valor Flight Crew Podcast — hosted by ECHO and brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS and Valor Plus.In this episode, we’re talking about something that continues to impact healthcare providers across every setting — from the emergency department to ground EMS, and especially in the air medical environment — and that’s violence against healthcare workers.We’re joined by Jamie Moran and Jonna Meyer for an honest and powerful conversation about what providers are experiencing in the field right now. We dive into personal stories, how the landscape of healthcare changed after COVID, and why reporting, awareness, and education are critical if we want to create safer working environments.This discussion goes beyond statistics. We talk about the emotional toll these encounters take, the cumulative effects of stress and trauma, and the importance of peer support, communication, and de-escalation skills — especially in high-risk, high-acuity environments like HEMS.This episode isn’t just about identifying the problem — it’s about starting conversations, building resilience, and supporting the people who show up every day to care for others.Thank you to our sponsors Metro Aviation, Precision Aviation Group and Spectrum Aeromed.
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Episode 57 - Unexpected Turbulence: When the Patient Becomes the Threat Part 1
Apr 801:09:03Tap to summarizeWelcome back to the Valor Flight Crew Podcast — hosted by ECHO and brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS and Valor Plus.In this episode, we’re talking about something that continues to impact healthcare providers across every setting — from the emergency department to ground EMS, and especially in the air medical environment — and that’s violence against healthcare workers.We’re joined by Jamie Moran and Jonna Meyer for an honest and powerful conversation about what providers are experiencing in the field right now. We dive into personal stories, how the landscape of healthcare changed after COVID, and why reporting, awareness, and education are critical if we want to create safer working environments.This discussion goes beyond statistics. We talk about the emotional toll these encounters take, the cumulative effects of stress and trauma, and the importance of peer support, communication, and de-escalation skills — especially in high-risk, high-acuity environments like HEMS.This episode isn’t just about identifying the problem — it’s about starting conversations, building resilience, and supporting the people who show up every day to care for others.Thank you to our sponsors Metro Aviation, Precision Aviation Group and Spectrum Aeromed.
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Episode 56 - No Rank Required: Leadership from the Front Line P2
Apr 101:00:40Tap to summarizeWelcome back to the Valor Flight Crew Podcast — hosted by ECHO and brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS and Valor Plus.In today’s episode, we sit down with Zane Atencio for a candid, practical conversation about what leadership really looks like on the front lines of emergency medical services. From the back of the ambulance to the flight deck, Zane shares his journey from fire medic to flight medic—and the lessons he’s learned about communication, accountability, and the responsibility that comes with leading from wherever you stand.Together, we dig into the realities of team dynamics, generational differences in the workforce, and the challenge of orienting new providers in a fast-moving, high-stakes environment. We talk about the power of self-reflection, the importance of recognizing good work, and why a supportive culture—one that allows people to learn from mistakes—can make all the difference for crews and patients alike.This is a conversation about trust, growth, and the everyday leadership moments that shape the culture of an organization.So strap in, check your gauges, and join us as we lift into another episode of the Valor Flight Crew Podcast—where leadership isn’t just a title … it’s a mindset carried on every mission.Thank you to our sponsors Airbus, Metro Aviation and Precision Aviation Group.
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