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On Nov. 24, a federal law goes into effect requiring anyone working along a highway to wear a high-visibility vest. The regulation is designed to reduce the number of responder injuries and deaths.

As with many federal regulations, there are no penalties involved for those who don't comply. However, the civil liability is paramount.

See the EMSResponder.com coverage: Federal Law to Require High-Visibility Vests for Highway Responders.

Wildfires wreaked havoc in Southern California this week and prompted a hospital evacuation at Olive View-UCLA Medical Center.

When electricity and backup generators went out, hospital staff decided to move more than two dozen patients, including 10 newborns, to other hospitals. Some other patients left independently, and others remained at the hospital, including a woman in labor.

For details visit: Wildfire Chases Patients from L.A. Hospital.

An Illinois EMT died during the night last weekend while working a 24-hour shift with MedStar Ambulance.

George G. Schaub III, 23, was also a firefighter and explorer trainer for the French Village Fire Department, and had been a member of the Villa Hills Volunteer Fire Department since he was 13.

To read more visit: Illinois EMT Honored at Funeral Service.

Featured Podcast:

A Dark Night in Florida

"It was one of those nights that literally there was no light out there, and we found the scene just by the flashing lights. When we landed, they pointed us to the ambulance that had the patient. He had rolled his Honda CRX, and it had caught fire. He was trapped underneath the car as it was burning." In this episode, Tony Hartman talks about an exceptionally memorable call.

Featured Column:

Improving Professional Working Relationships in Emergency Medical Services

"Firefighters, law enforcement officers, emergency dispatchers, nurses, physicians, hospital clerical staff, and other EMS providers are just some examples of the types of people encountered by EMS providers on a daily basis," writes guest columnist Brian Potter. "Striving to develop good working relationships with all of these groups of people can go a long way toward not only improving the EMS providers' ability to communicate and do their job, but also toward improving the overall quality and morale of the EMS workplace."