Episode 8 - Pre-hospital medicine across the pond

Welcome to the Valor Flight Crew Podcast, hosted by ECHO and brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS and Vertical Valor Magazine.

In this episode of the Valor Flight Crew Podcast, recorded live from the annual Public Safety Aviation Conference in Richmond, Virginia, Blake Shrider and Mike Fidale sit down with a special guest from across the Atlantic: Paula Burke, a paramedic with Ireland’s National Ambulance Service.

Paula shares her unique journey from nursing in Galway to working in Cork City — “the real capital,” as she jokes — and eventually joining Ireland’s National Ambulance Service, where she’s been for the last five years. We dive into how pre-hospital medicine in Ireland differs from the U.S., from limited helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) resources—only two helicopters nationwide— to ground transports for pediatric patients that can be three-hour trips.

Paula walks us through the Irish paramedic education pathway, which is a hybrid of classroom and field training, fully paid for, and culminates in a degree after three years. She also gives us insight into the advanced paramedic role and how Ireland is working toward community-based care and alternative pre-hospital pathways to help reduce unnecessary hospital transports.

We also talk mental health and peer support — something both Ireland and the U.S. EMS communities continue to build on. Paula shares how their Employee Assistance Program and regional peer support systems help providers manage the tough calls, while we compare how Echo’s FAST team is working to normalize mental health conversations here at home.

This conversation was full of laughs, insight, and reminders that while our systems may look different, the mission and challenges are much the same. Paula’s passion for pre-hospital medicine is clear, and she’s already planning on making the trip back next year.

Thanks for listening — and if you ever wondered what EMS looks like on the other side of the world, this one’s for you.

Thank you to our sponsors Airbus, Metro Aviation and Precision Aviation Group.