Feeling Behind the Curve? Understanding the EMS Power Curve Will Help You Stay Ahead

Feeling Behind the Curve? Understanding the EMS Power Curve Will Help You Stay Ahead

From Loud & Clear: EMS Guiding Principles - Advanced Continuing Education for Paramedics, EMTs & Prehospital Care Providers by Ross Orpet, Paramedic turned EMS Physician

January 26, 2026 · 1h 17m · Episode 109

About this episode

This episode discusses the EMS Power Curve and how understanding its phases can help paramedics stay ahead during calls.

Behind the curve. We've all heard it. Most of us have lived it. That sinking feeling when you're mentally three steps behind where the call actually is. The concept of the Power Curve comes from aviation—pilots need to understand the phases of flight and how the plane will react differently and require different inputs during each of these phases. The same principle applies to your 911 calls. This episode breaks down the exact framework to chunk calls into five critical phases. When you understand phases you understand what is needed during each point of the call and how to stay ahead. How to build if-then statements that eliminate decision fatigue. The psychological safety that lets you reset after screwing up in the apartment. And why 80% of medical errors tie back to the one phase—the hospital handoff. Stop reverting to chaos. Build the system that keeps you ahead. Guest/Cast/Crew information- Guest- Moose and Josh from Alert Medic 1 podcast Host- Ross Orpet, Will Berry Catch up with us after the show - Instagram- @emsloudandclear YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/@EMSLoudandClear Website- www.emspodcast.com Books we recommend - The Dichotomy of Leadership…

People in this episode

Host: Ross Orpet

Guests: Moose, Josh

Topics covered

  • EMS Power Curve
  • decision making
  • medical errors
  • psychological safety
  • call phases

Keywords

  • EMS
  • Power Curve
  • decision fatigue
  • medical errors
  • hospital handoff

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Alert Medic 1

Books & works: The Dichotomy of Leadership, Extreme Ownership, Managing the Unexpected: Sustained Performance in a Complex World, Thinking Fast and Slow

More episodes of Loud & Clear: EMS Guiding Principles - Advanced Continuing Education for Paramedics, EMTs & Prehospital Care Providers

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Loud & Clear: EMS Guiding Principles - Advanced Continuing Education for Paramedics, EMTs & Prehospital Care Providers podcast page.