In this episode of The Erik and Matt Show (EMS), Dr. Erik Axene and firefighter/paramedic Matt Ball talk candidly about EMS in the modern fire service. From the glamorized expectations in recruitment ads to the daily reality of medical calls, they dig into the cultural gap between perception and practice.

The episode explores how fire-based EMS providers can better embrace their role in patient care, the importance of staying clinically sharp, and why saving lives doesn’t always look like pulling someone from a burning building. It’s a real conversation about duty, ego, and what it means to do the job right.