When we told our friend about hosting a blog carnival, he asked “Where is it? I want to go!”

Oh, silly friend. Sadly, there will be no Ferris wheels or cotton candy for you. We’re throwing a virtual carnival called The Handover. He seemed pretty disappointed, but we’re absolutely thrilled to be hosting the June 2010 edition of The Handover.

For readers unfamiliar with The Handover, it’s a monthly “carnival” where EMS and ER bloggers share experiences on one single topic. Started by Medic999 in February 2009, the carnival is still going strong more than a year later. Previous editions include posts about respect, passion, close calls and the list goes on.

Even though you won’t find funnel cakes or rickety rides at this carnival, nobody will stop you from shoveling some buttery popcorn in your mouth while reading the carnival’s 17th edition on the Tactical Pants Blog.

The topic? Downtime.

We know, you don’t get much of it, especially on the clock. But when you do get a few minutes here and there, how do you spend that time? Is it with a book you carry in your back pocket? Scrolling through online news? Or, are you like us, and just aimlessly stare off into space?

Maybe there’s something you’d like to start doing with all that time … perhaps write a movie script about EMT life. We’re curious to find out what’s going on when you’re not saving lives.

Entries are due Sunday, June 27. E-mail a link to your blog post to tacpantsnews@gmail.com. Looking forward to hearing from all of you!

(Image via Flickr)

• A German insurance commercial (below) is sure to bring a smile to your face. (Medic 999)
• How much do you make a year? The salary report is out. (Happy Medic)
• TLC’s Police Women of Memphis are lookin’ pretty hott. (Hott Cops)
• What is the best martial art for police officers? Hiyah! (Spartan Cops)
• Handover Blog Carnival: Discussing that moment of clarity when it all came together. (The EMT Spot)
• How a cup of yogurt can land you behind bars. (Marco News)
• Another laugh-out-loud commercial, this one from an LEO perspective. (Motorcop)
• Second City Cop celebrates five years. Congrats and happy birthday! (SCC)
• Greg Friese shows the world how to insert a Combitube. (Everyday EMS Tips)
• Stay alert and prepare for the calls that matter. (Random Acts of Reality)
• Monitor the U.S. wildfire season at a new spot. (Fire Daily)
• Check out some powerful poetry about everyday decisions. (The Insomniac’s Guide to Ambulances)

• Could reality show Chronicles of EMS be a bad thing? (Medic 999)
• Everyone’s favorite police officer show COPS is renewed for a 23rd season. (Hott Cops)
• So, you can dismantle a stereo system during a consented car search … hmmm. (Grits for Breakfast)
• Don’t ever confuse EMTs with nurses. Seriously. (Life under the Lights)
• Reasons not to drive … (Thoughts from Behind the Badge)
• Another renewal: TNT gives Southland the go ahead for season number three. (Police Magazine)
• What do we do with sex offenders? (Slam Dunks)
• How to manage all your reading … because we know you do so much. (The Crime Map)
• Flashing, booth babes and dirty hotel rooms. That’s what he said! (The Happy Medic)
• Is the Break & Rake making a comeback? (Trigger Pull Tactical)

• Above: Oldie but goodie COPS spoof with a Star Wars twist. (Motorcop)
• Volcanic ash has one blogger stranded in Denver. (Medic 999)
• Ever wonder what it feels like to get splashed with pepper spray? (Police Quest)
• Get ready for the second edition of the First Due Blog Carnival. (Backstep Firefighter)
• Happy first blogging anniversary, Greg! (Everyday EMS Tips)
• Just another day at the firehouse. (Notes from Mosquito Hill)
• Trigger Pull makes his first appearance on I.T.S. Tactical. (Trigger Pull)

At Medic999, Mark Glencorse blogs about life as a paramedic on the other side of the pond. And it turns out that being in the emergency medical service in the United Kingdom proves to be a unique experience. Through his blog, Glencorse shares this knowledge with his American colleagues as well as with others throughout the world.

In addition to his writing, Glencorse has also played a major role in the online EMS community by running The Handover Blog Carnival as well as participating in the Chronicles of EMS, a reality series about life as an EMS. Oh, and he also wrote us back via e-mail after we sent him a bunch of random questions, which was also rather cool of him. Without further ado…

You’ve spent a decade in EMS (prior to that you were a nurse). What made you decide to make the switch into EMS?

I always wanted to be a paramedic, but various decisions took me into nursing first. What I have found interesting after getting to know so many US Paramedics is that many of them aspire to move into nursing, where as I wanted the opposite.

In 1999, I saw an advert for direct entry advanced technician training (similar to EMT-I) and jumped at the chance to start the career I had always wanted to do. I had grown a little bored of doing the same thing day in and day out (I was an OR/Anesthetics nurse.) and wanted the variety that pre-hospital care would bring me.

What’s one thing you’ve learned during the past 10 years?

I guess the main lesson I have learned and one that I am keen to pass on to everyone who cares to listen is that you never, ever will know everything about pre-hospital care. If you think you do, you are setting yourself up for a big fall.

Oh, and the one phrase that I am known for, “If you are going to do a 4 lead (ECG), then just do a 12.”

You were recently named the Fire/EMS Blogger of the Year, in which you officially won bragging rights (lucky you!). Is there anything you want to say about the contest and the EMS/Fire blogger community?

Firstly, kudos needs to go out to Fire Critic for organizing and running the contest. Previously, Rogue Medic and I had e-mailed a few times about setting up some sort of awards for EMS blogging, but we never actually got around to doing anything about it. Fire Critic came along and all of a sudden I found myself in the running.

I am honestly not trying to be modest here, but I know that I am not the best blogger in that group of finalists. But I guess I must have some of the most dedicated followers who just kept on voting whenever they could.

The contest did, however, fulfil its main goal, and that was to highlight many of the blogs out there and to get readers to look beyond the usual blogs they read and hopefully find some new ones with some new viewpoints and information to share. The contest was a roaring success, and I know that the Fire Critic has much bigger plans for next year’s competition. So please, watch this space!

Were you surprised when you started blogging in December 2008 to find such a vibrant online community for the public safety industry?

Very much so. Before I started blogging, I used to only read a couple of blogs every now and then. But once I started my own and started to reach out to the rest of the EMS blogosphere, I was suddenly aware of so many more like-minded professionals who were all trying to stimulate conversation and effect change in their own unique ways. What is more surprising though is the sheer number of new blogs that have sprouted up over the last year. And in this case, it really is “The more the better.”

You’ve been able to visit the States and get a small taste of our EMS system. Besides our contradictory spellings of words like “favourite,” what are some of the major differences in the US system compared to where you work in the UK?

The one thing that Justin and I always used to say when we were working together is that it is “The same patient, just a different country.” It quickly became apparent that Justin and I think so very much alike. We look at our patients in the same way, we come to the same diagnosis and want to do the best for our patients, but what makes us different are the systems that we work for, and the limitations that they place on the care that we may want to give.

There are obviously differences due to funding of services and the way that the public pay for their health care and that is one thing that was very clear whilst I was working in San Francisco. I’m glad that I don’t have to have those sorts of conversations with my patients, the ones which cover the question of “How am I going to pay for this?”

What are your hopes for the Chronicles of EMS?

I hope that the Chronicles of EMS will provide a platform for EMS to use to springboard our profession into what we all know it should be. Highly trained paramedics, recognized as health care professionals, able to make clinical decisions based on patient presentation and not always default to a trip to the ER. Higher educational standards and the salary to match the professionals that decide to devote their lives to this career.

In essence, EMS 2.0—rebooting EMS, and taking it to the next level. Oh, and I want to travel the world with Justin, to experience and share best practices from prehospital services across the whole globe. That’s all, not much to ask is it?

When, if ever, do you wear tactical pants? Are they stylish in the UK? (Sorry, had to ask!)

I wear tactical pants as part of my uniform. They are not stylish (they are green!) and they are not designed for heavy duty work like we out them through. I have lost count of the amount of time that I have ripped the crotch right out from them!

The worst one being in the middle of a resus when then really was no other option but to just keep going. It certainly helped keep me cool though!

• When a search warrant goes sooooooo wrong. (Trigger Pull Tactical)
• How police respond to those ubiquitous flash mobs. (The Crime Map)
• Is the Easter Bunny somehow connected to the police department? (Hott Cops)
• Lion Apparel launches a technical footwear line for the U.S. fire service. (Firefighter Hourly)
• Chronicles of EMS’ ‘A Seat at the Table’ discusses EMS and social media. (Medic 999)
• Ambulance Driver gets his social media on over at Facebook. (Day in the Life)
• Steps for a successful EMS book launch. (Everyday EMS Tips)
• Does everyone know what bogus treatments are? (Rogue Medic)
• The Handover Blog Carnival lives again with “Respect.” (Life Under the Lights)
• Amazing visual from the Coachella Valley after yesterday’s 7.2 earthquake. (Firefighter Blog)
• Happy blogiversary to me! (Motorcop)
• Are cats to blame for messing up a San Francisco crime lab? (Officer.com)
• Look out: Happy Medic has a new mascot. (The Happy Medic)

Medic Dani is quite possibly the youngest EMS blogger out there.

Just shy of 21, Dani works as a CNA (certified nursing assistant) by day and an EMT (emergency medical technician) by night. But don’t let her age fool you. She’s been an EMT since 18 and became a CNA at the super-early age of 15.

She documents her experiences in the medical field on her blog Dani’s Anatomy. While all the events she discusses are real, she notes that all names (aside from her own), dates, locations and diagnoses are altered to “protect both guilty or innocent.” This April will mark her first full year of blogging.

How has your blog helped you cope with the stress of your job?

The biggest thing is not being able to talk about the stresses due to the privacy laws. It’s very difficult not to come home and tell my fiancée or my family about the patient I lost.

I’ve always loved writing and thought of using writing as my emotional outlet. Before long I started to blog, and by changing those identifying details I was actually able to talk about it. And having the online EMS community reading and replying helped remind me that I wasn’t alone.

Do things happen to you on the job and you immediately know you want to blog about them?

Absolutely! A lot of the time I actually come across shifts that seem to scream a theme at me. Some nights it’s all about addiction, others it’s about family. If a shift throws a theme at me, I write about it.

What are some misconceptions about being an EMT?

I often go help teach basic classes, and the students are always so excited for the blood, guts and gore. Whoever is placing that bug into their ear should be beaten.

Not a class goes by that I don’t tell them the ‘truth’ about EMS. Not all calls will be life threatening—actually most will be completely not related to EMS at all! When you do save a life, be proud. But don’t feel bad when the only call you get is the homeless shelter. That’s just a part of the job.

It took me a while to understand this, but having my own ‘turkey call’ helped me become a better EMT.

What are some of your personal goals as an EMT for 2010? How about as a blogger?

I actually didn’t set any personal goals for myself this year! It’s horrible of me, but I decided that I want to try something new. I am an Aries, which means, stubborn, pain-in-the-butt go-getter, so my goal for the year is to just go with the flow and enjoy what 2010 has to bring!

As a blogger, my goal is to simply expand my reader base to more than just EMTs but also hospital professionals, firemen and police officers. With my fiancée being an officer-in-training, he is helping me learn skills that they never taught us that are just as (if not more) important.

And this is pretty much a mandatory question: What type of pants do you wear out on the field? What kind of pants do you wish you could wear?

Since I currently work in a hospital I wear scrub pants. My favorites are the Wal-Mart brand that has the side pocket with places to put your scissors, pens, etc. But I really, really want to wear tactical pants!

• Find out what those experimental criminologists have been up to in the video above. (The Crime Map)
• Going to be in Baltimore on March 5? We hear the BIGGEST EMS/Fire blogger meet-up of all time is taking place. (Happy Medic)
• SouthLAnd premiers on TNT to rave reviews … at least from one LEO. And possibly from others. (Motorcop)
• Are people impersonating fire personnel to steal narcotics from ambulances? (EMS Daily News)
• Everyday EMS Tips celebrates its 500th post. (Everyday EMS Tips)
• Scott from Spartan Cops takes a sabbatical. (Spartan Cops)
• Have you seen Hott Cops Magazine? Apparently it has been around for awhile. (Hott Cops)
• A lone goat takes Texas police on a wild ride. (Officer.com)
• Slam Dunks turns into a guest blogger for a day. (Slam Dunks)
• And now for a tiny diatribe about immigration and stereotyping. (The Duty Sgt)

Chronicles of EMS – Trailer (Premiere Feb 12th @ 5pm ChroniclesofEMS.com) from Thaddeus Setla on Vimeo.

• Chronicles of EMS premiers, and EMTs party in San Fran. (Everyday EMS Tips)
• More sights and sounds from the Chronicles premier. (Happy Medic)
• 10 things you should try to do with every patient. (Life Under the Lights)
• Are public safety budget cuts on the horizon nationwide? (Firefighter Blog)
• From the other side of the stretcher … The kind of e-mail that makes it all worth it. (Medic 999)
• Nothing can beat Uncle Beat’s tips o’ the day. (Beat and Release)
• Let’s get physical! Yes, you do need to be fit to fit the LEO bill. (Behind the Blue Line)
• More pockets. More stuff to show. (The Insomniac’s Guide to Ambulances)
• How to use Internet tracking as a evidence collector. (Cops 2.0)
• Why would you steal an ambulance, especially with a patient inside?! (EMS Daily News)
• The tweet is on for PC. Follow him at @philosophcop. (Philosophical Cop)
• Sometimes inspiration for a blog is hard to find. (Medic Three)
• Being healthy sounds easy than it really is. Or is it? (Fit Responder)
• Snowpocalypse: It’s like a marshmallow in a microwave … see video below. (Fire Daily)

Boy, does Greg Friese have some advice for you!

If you’ve ever been in need of useful advice, Greg Friese is at your service.

His site Everyday EMS Tips dispenses useful advice on a daily basis. Many of his tips — penned by him or his corral of guest authors (us included!) — apply only to the emergency medical service industry, while others such as “30 Personal Health Tips” can be helpful to just about anyone.

Friese doesn’t just dole out EMT wisdom, he also creates e-learning programs, writes for EMS1.com and podcasts about EMS educators. We’re just wondering how he carved out time in his crazy-busy schedule to answer some questions for us.

Can you tell me what one tip every EMS professional should heed?

No one else cares about your safety as much as you care about your safety. We all have an obligation to first look out for ourselves then our partner, bystanders and the patient or patients. Personal safety must include overall health and wellness (exercise, diet, no smoking, etc.), seatbelt use at all times and appropriate personal protective equipment.

You launched the website last March. What’s the response been like so far?

The response to EverydayEMSTips.com has been very positive. Readership has been steadily increasing, and I continue to get terrific comments and feedback from readers.

Do you think you’ll ever run out of tips?

My unofficial family motto is “Can I make a suggestion?” That motto has been passed down through centuries in the Friese family. Based on that heritage, I don’t think I will ever run out of tips.

Plus I find constant inspiration in my experiences, the experiences of others, the magazines and blogs I follow regularly and questions and comments from readers.

Tell us one EMS tool you never leave home without.

Patience for patients. I really enjoy the opportunity I have to connect with patients during their time of need. I strive to be patient, calm and understanding with all of my patients. Every encounter is a chance for me to continue learning and experiencing the thrills and agonies of pre-hospital medicine.

You conduct several emergency preparedness classes online. What are some pros and cons to e-learning versus the typical classroom setting?

My company, Emergency Preparedness Systems LLC, and our team of subject matter experts has designed and produced more than 200 hours of continuing education lessons for firefighters, EMTs, paramedics, 911 telecommunicators and other hospital personnel. Most of our content is produced as stand-alone asynchronous lessons.

Emergency response professionals enjoy this method of instruction because it is available when they are available, it honors their time knowledge and experience, and their learning is tracked and verifiable for recertification opportunities.

Regarding e-learning in general, there is a wide variability in the quality of content available to emergency response professionals. Selection of a learning platform, provider and content should be based on the goals and needs of the students. E-learning can achieve or exceed the same level of outcomes as classroom learning, but to do so, content needs to be informative, interactive and needs to expect the learner to participate in the process. Students that expect to passively receive training in any context — classroom or online — will not be able to maintain the knowledge and competencies required of an emergency response professional.

What’s next for you?

2010 is going to be a great year for me. The joint ventures I formed in 2009 to deliver new and innovative types of e-learning for emergency response professionals have gotten a great reception and are poised for continued growth in 2010.

EMSBootCamp.com is live online training for EMS professionals. Each session is a live webinar with opportunities for students to ask the subject matter experts questions throughout the session. PIOSocialMediaTraining.com delivers one-of-a-kind training for public information officers, incident command staff and other emergency responders about use of social media before, during and after major incidents. Finally, the EMSEduCast — the only podcast by and for EMS educators — recorded 42 episodes in our first year. We have already scheduled shows for well into the spring of 2010.

Of course, keep visiting EverydayEMSTips.com where new study tips, resources, job aids and e-books are added almost daily.