• DISPATCH ALERT: ALL EMS PERSONNEL, RESPOND TO FARGO!

CAD CALL: Southeast Regional NDEMSA Conference

Dispatch Date: November 20–22, 2026

Location: Career Innovation Center, 4230 64th Ave S. Fargo, North Dakota 58104

Nature of Call: Professional Development,Networking, and High-Quality EMS Education

Priority: HIGH

YOUR CONFERENCE ASSIGNMENT:

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 20

• 1:00 PM–6:00 PM-PEPP Course with Chettie Greer 

Requires pre-course work, limited to 14 people. Textbooks will be mailed.  The books are to be returned, or the individual will be responsible for the cost of the text book. 

Pediatric Education for Prehospital Professionals, from the American Academy of Pediatrics. Participants complete 6+ hours of online modules ahead of time, then work through hands-on pediatric skills and scenarios on Friday.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21

8:00 AM–12:00 PM | Morning Sessions

Choose from a variety of educational sessions, including:

• BVM Techniques with Wayne Stephens
• Pump Fiction: The Failing Heart with Skyler Tibbs

The heart is designed to be a pretty reliable pump. But what happens when it can’t keep up? We’ll separate fact from fiction as we break down the physiology of congestive heart failure, explore preload, afterload and contractility, and connect them to the treatments we use in the field, for smarter clinical decisions and better patient outcomes.

• Trauma with Tom Taylor
• The Role of EMS in Stroke Care & FAST-ED: How To Score Stroke Severity in the Field  with Molly Murch

A focused review of stroke recognition, assessment and prehospital management: brain anatomy, risk factors, BE-FAST, stroke mimics, ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke treatment, the 8 D’s of stroke care, EMS stroke guidelines, last known well vs. symptom recognition, and stroke triage scales with an emphasis on FAST-ED. Includes an interactive FAST-ED activity.

• Changing Times with Matt Hons

The volunteer landscape is changing, and how we recruit, retain and train our members needs to change with it. We will look at generational differences and practical ways to bring new volunteers through the door, keep them engaged and prepare them to serve their communities.

• SIM-ND

 "It's Just His Sugar"-A diabetic man is found confused with a droop, and his wife is sure it’s low blood sugar or is it?

 Pairs with Molly Murch’s stroke session Saturday morning.

"Caught in the Auger"- A farmer’s forearm was nearly cut off by a grain auger, and the belt his neighbor tied isn’t stopping the bleeding. Can he be saved?

"He Won't Stop Shaking"-A feverish toddler is still seizing when the crew arrives, past the 5-minute mark. Can you deal with the chaos of this pediatric call?

12:00 PM–1:00 PM | Refuel and Regroup

1:00 PM–5:00 PM | Afternoon Sessions:

• Respiratory Failure Lecture/Sim with Wayne Stephens
• Bringing Back the Dead with Matt Hons

Every second counts in cardiac arrest, and understanding why we do what we do helps us make those seconds matter. Take a fresh look at the science behind resuscitation and how we can work more efficiently as a team.

• Trauma with Tom Taylor
• Kratom with Christina Shockley
• Watch my Six: A Culture of Safety in EMS with Skyler Tibbs

We trust our partners with our lives, but looking out for one another takes more than teamwork. It takes a culture where safety is everyone’s responsibility, speaking up is encouraged, and doing the right thing never depends on who is watching. We’ll challenge “that’s how we’ve always done it,” look at how unsafe practices become normal, and discuss practical ways to recognize hazards, intervene and speak up.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22

8:00 AM–1:00 PM | Final Call for Education

Wrap up your conference experience with sessions featuring:

• Lung Story Short: 5 Diagnoses, 1 Breathless Patientwith Skyler Tibbs

Wheezing? Crackles? Hypoxia? The plot thickens. Asthma, COPD, CHF, pneumonia and anaphylaxis can look remarkably alike, but the stories behind them, and the treatments they demand, are very different. We’ll break down the pathophysiology, recognize the clues and learn to tell the wheezer from the wetter, the obstructed from the infected, and the sick from the really sick.

• JP's Slings: 12 Leads for BLS with Jean Paul Mansour
• Trauma with Katy Cooper
• Deadly Gases with Matt Hons

Carbon monoxide and hydrogen cyanide can turn a scene into a deadly emergency for patients and responders alike. We will look at these gases from an EMS perspective: recognizing an exposure, understanding what is happening in the body, and putting that knowledge to work when it counts.

• Working with Rural Fire with Wade Powers
•  SIM-ND

"Drowning on Dry Land"-A heart failure patient wakes up unable to breathe. Crews must use their assessment skills to crack the diagnosis. Pairs with Skyler Tibbs’ “Pump Fiction” and “Lung Story Short.”

"Sled vs. Shelterbelt"- A snowmobiler hit a tree with his chest and lay in the snow for 30 minutes. He’s cold and short of breath, and that's only the beginning.  

"The Birthday Cookie"- A 6-year old goes down at a birthday party, but why? Crews must assess the patient and determine the best course of action before it's to late. 

• 

The Southeast Conference will offer multiple tracks during each session time. Participants will have multiple options to choose from in every time period, allowing them to select the sessions that best fit their interests and professional needs. This structure provides flexibility while ensuring that a wide range of topics is covered throughout the conference.

Important Links

• Schedule
• Registration and Pricing

If you have any questions about the sessions or registration, contact the office at 701-221-0567 or email NDEMSA.

Sponsors

Thanks to all of our sponsors of this conference!