Ep. #9 Craig Evans, The Paramedic Professor - Tales from the Tailboard Podcast

Craig Evans, known across social media as The Paramedic Professor, is a 30-year Lieutenant/Paramedic, educator, and lifelong student of the craft.He joins the show to talk about identity in EMS, leadership, culture, training, fire/EMS integration, survival mindset, and why the profession desperately needs people willing to tell the truth — even when it pisses people off.Craig’s experience runs deep:Volunteering at 16, Shock Trauma Technician, fire service veteran, medic, instructor, and now an outspoken voice pushing EMS into the future.This episode is sharp, uncomfortable at times, and absolutely necessary.---Craig Evans — The Paramedic Professor:Instagram: instagram.com/theparamedicprofessor---🔥 Topics We Cover in This Episode• The early years — volunteering at 16How a house fire at 15 and an EMS recruiter at school changed his life.• EMS identity crisisWhy EMS has titles instead of rank, and why the public can’t tell an EMT-B from a medic when we walk into the ER.• Fire vs EMS separationWhy combining the professions diluted standards — and why one person can’t master two different career paths.• The medic pipeline problemChasing pensions, schedules, and pay raises without wanting to be a paramedic — and how that destroys quality of care.• The culture of the firehouseComplaining vs actually fixing systemic problems. The tradition mindset holding progress back.• Teaching, mentorship & legacyWhy “those who can’t do teach” is a lie — and why if you can’t teach, you probably never mastered the job in the first place.• Physical fitness + mental fitnessThe uncomfortable truth: your crew shouldn’t have to save you before you save the patient.• Firehouse politics & controversyWhy Craig intentionally drops “heat” online — and why sparking debate is sometimes the only way to create change.• Survival mindsetLessons from Deep Survival, SCBA vibra-alert realities, and why knowing your gear intimately can save your life in a down-firefighter situation.• The future of EMSWhy standards need to rise — not fall — and why leadership must be earned, not aged into.---🎧 Listen & Watch Full Episodes:YouTube: Tales from the Tailboard PodcastTikTok: TalesFromTheTailboardPodLinktree (all links & merch): linktr.ee/talesfromthetailboard---👕 Sponsored By — End of Shift ApparelReal apparel for real first responders.Shop: endofshiftapparel.com(Discount code coming soon)---🎵 Music CreditIntro: “Serotonin” — NormandieOutro: “Figure It Out” — Royal Blood---⚖️ FAIR USE NOTICEThis episode may reference third-party material strictly for purposes of commentary, education, criticism, or discussion, in accordance with Section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Act.No copyright infringement is intended.