I’m sure Simon and Garfunkel will be suing, but so be it.

I’m sitting at DFW airport waiting for my flight which isn’t for about three hours, so I thought I’d put up post about EMStock.

First, if you are a medic or EMT in Texas, Louisiana, or most of Arkansas or Oklahoma and you didn’t show up (and you didn’t, I know) shame on you. First, you missed some pretty well known speakers who you would normally have to go to a major conference to hear and see. There are also some speakers who in a couple of years you ARE going to have to spend more money to hear speak. Second, it’s cheap $20.00 for registration. Third, there is a chili/ribs/brisket cook off and the chefs will just about tie you down and force you to eat the food that they cook over the two day contest preparation period. And it’s good food too. If money is tight, you can attend this conference very inexpensively. You can camp on the grounds, eat the free food, buy the very inexpensively sold food cooked by some of the conference organizers and save a lot of money.

Did I mention the free stuff? Free beer, how’s that sound? Rahr Brewery donated about 50 cases of beer which was available to attendees. Rahr is an excellent beer, and at the risk of starting a fight I’ll opine that it’s the Texas version of Sam Adams beer. I’m not going to do a bunch of plugs for the other sponsors, but there were some terrific items raffled off. A defibrillator, a bunch of Reel Splints, two RAD-57 pulse oximeters/CO-Oximeters, and other expensive EMS gear.

If they hold the conference again next year, make an effort to attend. Enough said about that.

As a side benefit I was thrilled to meet Phlegmfatale (who I have been remiss in not including on my blog roll, The Law Dog, and Mr. Fixit. It was a pleasure to meet all of you and I wish we had more time to hang out and get to know each other. Fortunately it’s not the only time I’ll be in Texas, so hopefully we’ll get to meet again soon.

DFW is a pretty nice airport, but they really need to put more signs out on the roads surrounding it so that out of town visitors can find their way back. Oh, while you’re at it, WiFi and some outlets for people who travel with computers and other gadgets can power up while waiting. 21st century and all that.

The TSA people were the friendliest I’ve met in a long time. They even wanted to chat casually and when they found out I was from the Northeast, they were even friendlier. Quick, efficient, polite. No doubt the entire staff will be fired for that.

On the other hand one of my friends had a not so great experience at another airport. One screener became inordinately obsessed with my friend’s three ounce solid deodorant. Not just curious, but obsessed. As in he had the line stopped for the greater part of 10 minutes while he examined the 3.0 ounce roll one. Finally my friend said, “If it’s that much of an issue, just take it I don’t want to miss my plane”. Nope, the in depth examination continuuuuuuuuuued. Finally, satisfied that the deodorant didn’t pose a threat, the screener allowed him to continue on. The only problem being that Eagle Eye the Deodorant Detective missed the four inch folding knife that my friend had accidentally left in his carry on. Which my friend didn’t realize until after he was inside the secure zone.

Lovely, just lovely.

A great time, great weather, great friends, I can’t wait until next year.