Join EMS, Fire Rescue, Emergency Management, and Hospital professionals for an immersive day of education focused on disaster preparedness and coordinated emergency response.
Disasters demand more than a rapid response. They require planning, communication, and seamless coordination long before the first call is received and long after the patient arrives at the hospital. This year's symposium will explore the complete patient journey during large-scale emergencies, from event preplanning and incident command to field triage, transport decisions, emergency department intake, hospital surge operations, and ongoing patient care.
Through expert-led presentations and a hands-on functional exercise, attendees will gain practical strategies for managing mass-casualty incidents, hazardous-materials events, severe-weather emergencies, toxic exposures, and large-scale disasters. Learn how Fire, EMS, Emergency Management, and Hospital teams can strengthen partnerships, improve communication, and optimize patient outcomes during high-impact events.
Topics include:
- Emergency management and multi-agency coordination
- Incident command and unified response
- Hazardous materials and mass casualty incidents
- Severe weather and environmental emergencies
- Medical command and disaster triage
- Emergency department intake and surge operations
- Hospital management beyond the ED
2026 EMS Symposium Agenda
| Time |
Topic |
Speaker |
| 7:00-8:00 am |
Check-in & Breakfast |
30 minutes |
| 8:00-8:15 am |
Opening Remarks |
TBD |
| 8:15-9:00 am |
Keynote Address (Emergency Management Focus) |
Clint Mecham |
| 9:00-9:30 am |
Poison Control Lecture (Mass Poisoning Incidents) |
Dr. Dawn Sollee |
| 9:30-10:00 am |
Break |
30 minutes |
| 10:00-10:30 am |
Hazardous Materials Support (VCFR) |
Heather Lorimor |
| 10:30-11:00 am |
Hospital Management of Toxic Exposure Patients |
ED Physician (TBD) |
| 11:00-11:45 am |
Lightning Safety & Severe Weather / Extreme Heat Illness |
Erik Nason |
| 11:45 am-12:00 pm |
Vendor Tables |
15 minutes |
| 12:00-1:00 pm |
Lunch |
60 minutes |
| 1:00-1:30 pm |
Modern Heat Stroke Management: ECMO and Cooling Strategies |
Dr. Greene |
| 1:30-2:00 pm |
Prehospital Medical Management: Environmental MCIs |
Mark Fisher |
| 2:00-2:30 pm |
Hospital EM Lecture & ED Processes During an MCI |
Loretta Myers |
| 2:30-3:00 pm |
Break |
30 minutes |
| 3:00-3:45 pm |
Functional Exercise: “Operation Code Black” |
Hands-on functional exercise (45 minutes) |
| 3:45-4:15 pm |
Stroke Lecture |
Neuro physician (TBD) |
| 4:15-4:30 pm |
Exercise and Awards |
Loretta Myers/Lisa Riley |
| 4:30-4:45 pm |
Participant Q&A; CEU requirements; Elevate EMS series Information |
Lisa Riley |
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