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Valor Flight Crew

Valor Flight Crew

Mike Fadale and Blake Shrider 69 Episodes Aug 19, 2026

Produced in partnership with ECHO (Every Coast Helicopter Operations), the Valor Flight Crew Podcast promotes the personnel and life-saving equipment behind helicopter air ambulance services. Join hosts Mike Fadale and Blake Shrider for in-depth interviews and expert insights from air medical personnel, pilots, communication specialists, and maintenance crews who play critical roles in airborne emergency response. Both members of the ECHO team, Mike and Blake, have diverse backgrounds in public safety aviation and leadership, allowing them to bring unique perspectives and expertise to the podcast.

Episodes

Finding Purpose Every Day: The Key to Staying Motivated in EMS and Aviation | Ep 74
Finding Purpose Every Day: The Key to Staying Motivated in EMS and Aviation | Ep 74 Aug 19, 2026 4203 Welcome back to the Valor Flight Crew Podcast, hosted by ECHO and brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS and Valor Plus.Most of us remember what it felt like when we first entered emergency medical services (EMS) or stepped into a flight suit—the excitement, the nerves, and the drive to learn everything we possibly could. But as experience grows and the job becomes familiar, something can quietly be
Leading while carrying: The weight of public safety aviation Part 2 | Ep 73
Leading while carrying: The weight of public safety aviation Part 2 | Ep 73 Aug 12, 2026 3743 Welcome back to the Valor Flight Crew Podcast, hosted by ECHO and brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS and Valor Plus. Today’s public safety aviation leaders face challenges unlike any before. Staffing shortages, aging aircraft, limited resources, and a new generation of clinicians stepping into leadership roles earlier than ever have transformed the profession. Clinical excellence alone is no lon
Leading while carrying: The weight of public safety aviation Part 1 | Ep 72
Leading while carrying: The weight of public safety aviation Part 1 | Ep 72 Aug 5, 2026 3741 Welcome back to the Valor Flight Crew Podcast, hosted by ECHO and brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS and Valor Plus. Today’s public safety aviation leaders face challenges unlike any before. Staffing shortages, aging aircraft, limited resources, and a new generation of clinicians stepping into leadership roles earlier than ever have transformed the profession. Clinical excellence alone is no lon
Safety deviation: The drift you don’t see coming part 2 | Ep 71
Safety deviation: The drift you don’t see coming part 2 | Ep 71 Jul 22, 2026 3363 Welcome back to the Valor Flight Crew Podcast, hosted by ECHO and brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS and Valor Plus.In this episode of the Valor Flight Crew Podcast, hosts Mike Fadale and Blake Shrider sit down with Bryan Evans, an experienced aviation and emergency medical services (EMS) leader, to explore what truly shapes a resilient safety culture. From the subtle drift of normalized deviati
Safety deviation: The drift you don’t see coming part 1 | Ep 70
Safety deviation: The drift you don’t see coming part 1 | Ep 70 Jul 15, 2026 3265 Welcome back to the Valor Flight Crew Podcast, hosted by ECHO and brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS and Valor Plus.In this episode of the Valor Flight Crew Podcast, hosts Mike Fadale and Blake Shrider sit down with Bryan Evans, an experienced aviation and emergency medical services (EMS) leader, to explore what truly shapes a resilient safety culture. From the subtle drift of normalized deviati
The Fatigue Factor: How Tired Crews Make Dangerous Decisions Part 2 | Ep 69
The Fatigue Factor: How Tired Crews Make Dangerous Decisions Part 2 | Ep 69 Jul 8, 2026 4520 Welcome back to the Valor Flight Crew Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS and partnered with Valor Plus. Today's episode is a special collaboration with our friends from the Hangar Z Podcast, and we're tackling a topic that impacts every one of us in aviation — fatigue.  Joining us for this outstanding panel discussion is Hangar Z Podcast host Jack Schonely, along with highly r
The Fatigue Factor: How Tired Crews Make Dangerous Decisions Part 1 | Ep 68
The Fatigue Factor: How Tired Crews Make Dangerous Decisions Part 1 | Ep 68 Jul 1, 2026 4657 Welcome back to the Valor Flight Crew Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS and partnered with Valor Plus. Today's episode is a special collaboration with our friends from the Hangar Z Podcast, and we're tackling a topic that impacts every one of us in aviation — fatigue.  Joining us for this outstanding panel discussion is Hangar Z Podcast host Jack Schonely, along with highly r
The Helicopter Air Ambulance Identity Crisis: Blending Aviation and Critical Care Part 3 | Ep 67
The Helicopter Air Ambulance Identity Crisis: Blending Aviation and Critical Care Part 3 | Ep 67 Jun 24, 2026 3027 Welcome back to the Valor Flight Crew Podcast, hosted by ECHO and brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS and Valor Plus.In today’s episode, we are joined again by researcher, educator, and seasoned flight paramedic Russell Griffin for a thought-provoking conversation about the powerful connection between identity, culture, and safety, in the air medical world.Together, we explore what really shapes
The Helicopter Air Ambulance Identity Crisis: Blending Aviation and Critical Care Part 2 | Ep 66
The Helicopter Air Ambulance Identity Crisis: Blending Aviation and Critical Care Part 2 | Ep 66 Jun 17, 2026 3002 Welcome back to the Valor Flight Crew Podcast, hosted by ECHO and brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS and Valor Plus.In today’s episode, we are joined again by researcher, educator, and seasoned flight paramedic Russell Griffin for a thought-provoking conversation about the powerful connection between identity, culture, and safety, in the air medical world.Together, we explore what really shapes
The Helicopter Air Ambulance Identity Crisis: Blending Aviation and Critical Care Part 1 | Ep 65
The Helicopter Air Ambulance Identity Crisis: Blending Aviation and Critical Care Part 1 | Ep 65 Jun 10, 2026 2899 Welcome back to the Valor Flight Crew Podcast, hosted by ECHO and brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS and Valor Plus.In today’s episode, we are joined again by researcher, educator, and seasoned flight paramedic Russell Griffin for a thought-provoking conversation about the powerful connection between identity, culture, and safety, in the air medical world.Together, we explore what really shapes
The Silence After Chaos: Culture Shock at 3000 ft Part 2 | Ep 64
The Silence After Chaos: Culture Shock at 3000 ft Part 2 | Ep 64 Jun 3, 2026 3711 Welcome back to the Valor Flight Crew Podcast — hosted by ECHO and brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS and Valor Plus.In this episode of the Valor Flight Crew Podcast, we sit down with Ashley Barnes for an honest and educational conversation about the realities of entering the world of flight medicine. Together, we explore the transition from ground emergency medical services (EMS) into critical
The Silence After Chaos: Culture Shock at 3000 ft Part 1 | Ep 63
The Silence After Chaos: Culture Shock at 3000 ft Part 1 | Ep 63 May 27, 2026 3755 Welcome back to the Valor Flight Crew Podcast — hosted by ECHO and brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS and Valor Plus.In this episode of the Valor Flight Crew Podcast, we sit down with Ashley Barnes for an honest and educational conversation about the realities of entering the world of flight medicine. Together, we explore the transition from ground emergency medical services (EMS) into critical

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