Hosted by paramedics Spencer Oliver and Chris Pfingsten, EMS 20/20 takes you straight into the chaos of actual 911 calls — then dissects them piece by piece. Its clinical insight meets humor, with a side of shocking disbelief.
This isn’t a lecture. It’s two medics talking shop, talking smack, and somehow teaching you something in the process. Whether you’re a paramedic student, a burned-out veteran, or just here for the ride-along energy, EMS 20/20 delivers the brutally honest education you didn’t know you needed.
Now proudly part of FlightBridgeED — but still mostly unsupervised.
How the Sausage Gets Made
“You know what it says to me? It says this patient has died. That’s what no BVM attached to an ET tube says to me.”
Listen & Subscribe to EMS 20/20
The Latest Episode
The guys fumble through an interesting call with many odd findings… including a high-end hotel that is well prepared for the arrival of EMS. Can this all BLS crew come to the right conclusion?
The guys fumble through an interesting call with many odd findings… including a high-end hotel that is well prepared for the arrival of EMS. Can this all BLS crew come to the right conclusion?
Did you know you can listen & earn CAPCE-accredited continuing education credit?
About the Hosts
Spencer Oliver
Paramedic. Creator. Possibly a robot.
Spencer has somehow tolerated over 15 years in EMS without completely losing it. From the thrilling world of 911 to the dizzying heights of flight paramedic life, he’s seen it all. He’s also dabbled in field training, supervising, and volunteering.
When he’s not busy being a 12-lead enthusiast, he’s passionately railing against the abominations that are Dutch Bros and Arizona Iced Tea. If your episode gets picked, he’s the “dude you talk to,” which might be a hint that he’s actually a highly advanced AI disguised as a human. We’re not saying he is a robot, but we’re not not saying it either. He’s here, he’s sarcastic, and he’s probably judging your charting along the way.
Known for:
- Provoking Chris
- Half of the quotes on the merch store
- Ruining pop culture by fusing it with the harsh realities of EMS calls
Chris Pfingsten
Paramedic. Creator. Self-appointed bisque definer.
Chris has been in EMS long enough to have opinions, and paperwork to prove them, and regrets nothing (maybe). He’s worked 911, flight, and those underappreciated management roles.
Whether he’s dropping a perfectly-timed reference to salmon bisque or digging into a rhythm strip like it owes him money, Chris makes clinical insight feel like a story worth hearing — even if it hurts a little. And why, for the love of all that is holy, can’t you take the oxygen tank with you on scene? You know who you are and you’re being watched.
If you’ve ever muttered “We should’ve done that differently,” Chris is already halfway through the analysis.
Known for:
- Giving you the benefit of the doubt… before verbally wrecking your scene management
- Narrating mistakes like a medical version of Dateline
- Comparing emergencies to salmon bisque, and somehow being right
What We Hear From Random People Who Say They Listen To Us
(We can’t prove that they do. Just so you’re aware.)
Vote zero!
It took me four episodes to realize “Lucas” wasn’t a celebrity chef.