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Faculty

Aaron Burnett

MD
EMS Medical Director
Regions Hospital & St. Paul Fire Dept

Aaron Burnett, MD is the Medical Director of EMS and Emergency Preparedness and an attending physician in the Department of Emergency Medicine at HealthPartners Regions Hospital in St. Paul, Minnesota. Dr. Burnett serves as the EMS Medical Director for the Saint Paul Fire Department—the largest fire-based EMS agency in Minnesota—and served as the State of MN EMS Medical Director from 2014-2024. He is a member of the Minnesota Mobile Resuscitation (ECMO) Consortium at the University of Minnesota where he is an Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine. As medical director of the MN State Fair, Dr. Burnett oversees medical coverage to approximately 2 million fairgoers over 12 days. He is a medical director for paramedic education and has deployed in support of medical operations during the 2020 civil unrest in Minnesota.

2026 Sessions

Tier 2 Trauma Teams: Using EMS Provider Judgement to Activate Trauma Teams for Patients Without American College of Surgeons Anatomic or Physiologic Criteria

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Some high-risk trauma patients present with normal vital signs, masking serious injury. This session examines a Tier 2 trauma team activation (TTA) designed for EMS providers to initiate when concern exists despite stable vitals. Unlike full activations, Tier 2 TTAs enable expedited evaluation without requiring a trauma surgeon response. Data from 153 activations show nearly 60% required admission, with some upgraded on arrival—highlighting the limitations of vital signs alone. Attendees will learn how EMS advocacy drives early recognition of occult trauma and how to implement a multi-tiered activation system that supports clinical judgment and improves patient outcomes.

Co-Presenter (2 Presenters)

Presenter (1 Presenter)

Wednesday, September 30 3:45–4:45 PM
Room W230 D
Critical Care
Faculty

Haley Taormina

MD
EMS/EM Physician
Regions/Health Partners

Dr. Taormina grew up in rural Illinois where she started her career in EMS. Dr. Taormina completed her medical training at Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine, followed by University of Wisconsin where she was chief resident. Dr. Taormina completed her EMS fellowship at Regions in 2023. She is board certified in both Emergency Medicine and EMS. Currently, she is employed as a clinical faculty member at Regions hospital and serves as an assistant medical director with Regions EMS, associate program director for the Regions EMS Fellowship, and as an associate medical director for LifeLink III. She has special interests in EMS education, prehospital ultrasound, tactical EMS, sports medicine, and event medicine.

Faculty

Aaron Burnett

MD
EMS Medical Director
Regions Hospital & St. Paul Fire Dept

Aaron Burnett, MD is the Medical Director of EMS and Emergency Preparedness and an attending physician in the Department of Emergency Medicine at HealthPartners Regions Hospital in St. Paul, Minnesota. Dr. Burnett serves as the EMS Medical Director for the Saint Paul Fire Department—the largest fire-based EMS agency in Minnesota—and served as the State of MN EMS Medical Director from 2014-2024. He is a member of the Minnesota Mobile Resuscitation (ECMO) Consortium at the University of Minnesota where he is an Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine. As medical director of the MN State Fair, Dr. Burnett oversees medical coverage to approximately 2 million fairgoers over 12 days. He is a medical director for paramedic education and has deployed in support of medical operations during the 2020 civil unrest in Minnesota.
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