Name
The Forgotten Skill: Safe Patient Movement in Modern EMS
Description
This presentation examines patient movement as both a clinical and operational decision rather than simply a physical task. Participants will review current national injury statistics, common mechanisms of provider injury, ergonomic principles, crew resource management, and practical strategies to reduce risk during routine and complex patient movements. The session will also provide a review of commonly used lifting and moving devices including stretchers, stair chairs, scoop stretchers, Reeves sleeves, MegaMovers, slide boards, and bariatric equipment and discuss appropriate patient selection, operational considerations, and best practices for their safe use.
Through real-world case studies and practical application, attendees will explore how proper planning, communication, equipment selection, and movement techniques can improve both patient outcomes and provider safety. Participants will leave with practical strategies that can be immediately incorporated into daily operations, helping reduce preventable injuries while fostering a stronger culture of safety within their organizations.
NYS CME: All Levels - Mandatory - Non-Core - Lifting & Moving
Speakers
Kevin Ramdayal, FDNYDeputy ChiefKevin Ramdayal is a Deputy Chief with the New York City Fire Department and a nationally recognized leader in emergency medical operations, leadership development, and disaster response education. With nearly two decades of experience progressing from EMT to Paramedic to Chief Officer, he brings a command-level perspective shaped by real-world incidents, systemwide training initiatives, and national deployments. Chief Ramdayal has served throughout all five boroughs of New York City and holds extensive experience managing and coordinating high-level incidents including terrorist attacks, aircraft incidents, construction collapses, and large-scale mass casualty events. He is a certified Medical Unit Leader and has deployed nationally as part of the FDNY Incident Management Team during wildland fires and major disasters. A senior educator and curriculum developer, Chief Ramdayal has led and implemented training programs in Incident Command, medical simulation, counterterrorism response, rescue task force operations, and mass casualty management. As a New York State Certified Instructor Coordinator, he has delivered hundreds of hours of instruction and overseen systemwide training initiatives impacting thousands of EMS providers, including major protocol rollouts and national preparedness programs. He has trained with and alongside FEMA, the FBI, the Center for Domestic Preparedness, and the Department of Homeland Security, and is a graduate of the Combating Terrorism Program at West Point and the Fire Officers Management Institute at Columbia University. He is also the owner of Empire Preparedness and Training Consultants, where he continues to develop leaders and responders nationwide. An award-winning international speaker, Chief Ramdayal has delivered keynote addresses and workshops at national and international conferences and is a frequent presenter on leadership, high-risk decision making, EMS innovation, and disaster response. He remains an active paramedic and instructor, committed to developing the next generation of fire service and EMS leaders.
Date & Time
Thursday, November 12, 2026, 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
