NBC will air opening ceremony of Tokyo Olympics live

NBC will air opening ceremony of Tokyo Olympics live

U.S. Olympic viewers who have long clamored to view the opening ceremony live when it hasn’t been in North America will finally get their wish.

NBC plans to air the opening ceremony from the Tokyo Olympics live on Friday, July 23. With Tokyo 13 hours ahead of New York and 16 ahead of Los Angeles, the opening ceremony will begin at 8 p.m. in Japan, which is 7 a.m. ET and 4 a.m. PT.

Molly Solomon, the executive producer and president of NBC Olympics, said the global significance of gathering in Tokyo during the time of the coronavirus pandemic, as well as changing viewing habits, were the main factors in deciding to air the opening ceremony live in the morning for the first time.

“I think like so many of us, people’s lives have changed. And after we had all been locked down for a few months, the postponed Olympics, and its meaning, I think became very clear that it will be an incredibly moving moment in sports and in the world when the world comes together,” she said. “We recognized we had to make our production plans be equal to the challenge of these unprecedented challenging times. And that meant a live opening ceremony and an enhanced prime-time broadcast where most of the folks will gather to watch it.”

NBC’s prime-time show will then reair the ceremony, beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT.

NBC livestreamed the opening and closing ceremonies from the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Games on its Olympic site before airing delayed coverage of both on the network in the evening.

While COVID-19 protocols have delayed many events, Solomon said she remains confident that key events will still air live in the U.S., even if there are any potential scheduling changes after continued discussions with the International Olympic Committee and Tokyo organizers.

“Once we started to see the architecture of how this is all going to work, I have to say, it’s very familiar to us because we’ve been producing events since the pandemic began. And while all sports are different, they’re all very similar,” Solomon said.

NBC plans on airing more than 7,000 hours of coverage across its many networks. There will also be live streaming of all sports on its NBCOlympics website.

Flogging Molly announce 2021 St. Patrick’s Day stream

Live from the iconic Whelan’s Irish Pub in Dublin, Ireland, Celtic punk greats Flogging Molly will air their 2021 St. Patrick’s Day stream on March 17th (at 12PM PT / 3PM ET / 7PM GMT / 8PM CET time).

“Flogging Molly will put on a St. Paddy’s Day party for the record books, bringing the good times, great whiskey, vivid stories, and music of the band – straight from Ireland – directly to fans around the world,” says today’s stream announcement.

Tickets for the virtual gig are available via FloggingMollyLive.com; you can buy early bird tickets right now, with exclusive streaming bundles available as well.

Founding member Dave King comments, “In any house, even in the darkest of times, there’s always a room, a room for celebration. In over twenty years together, this is our first ever show from the Emerald Isle on St. Patrick’s Day. Welcome to Ireland. Let’s celebrate! From our family to yours, Sláinte!”

Check out a trailer for the show here:

Flogging Molly is comprised of Dave King (lead vocals, acoustic guitar, bodhran), Bridget Regan (violin, tin whistle, vocals), Dennis Casey (guitar, vocals), Matt Hensley (accordion, concertina, vocals), Nathen Maxwell (bass guitar, vocals), Spencer Swain (mandolin, banjo, guitar, vocals), and Mike Alonso (drums, percussion). The band’s latest studio album, ‘Life Is Good,’ came out in 2017 through Vanguard / Spinefarm Records.

Check out the stream flyer below.

Concert photo by CRIOS

Ohio System May Have Solved Air-Med Mask Woes

Journal-News, Hamilton, Ohio

Premier Health is the first in the region to incorporate system-wide, aviation-specific masks for CareFlight’s medical helicopters and mobile intensive care units.

The P100 Tiger Performance masks are used industry-wide for air medical transport, said Molly Nickell, CareFlight’s clinical operations manager. The reusable P100 respirator masks protect against about 99.97% of airborne particles and are connected to the helicopter and ground units for “seamless communications” with the CareFlight crew and air traffic controllers.

“It’s made a complete difference in our operations,” said Nickell, who is also a flight nurse and paramedic.

Premier Health operates several medical facilities in the region, including Atrium Medical Center in Middletown and Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton.

Masks are fitted for each of CareFlight’s crew members to be worn for extended periods of time during transport in the aircraft and in the mobile intensive care unit. There are about 100 people that are fitted with the masks, and will be a permanent part of CareFlight’s operations, Nickell said.

“Because the masks are reusable, we’re eliminating waste,” Beth Calcidise, director of CareFlight Air and Mobile. “We no longer need to utilize the hospital supply of N95 or N100 masks.”

When taking helmets on and off, the N95 masks were not sturdy enough. Bands would break or masks would flip, and would inadvertently cause seals to break. After adjustments to push for more sturdy masks, Nickell said communication with air traffic control and among CareFlight staff became muffled.

And in times like the recent bad weather, where communication is even more critical, she said.

“Safety is our top priority. Anytime that there is any communication that needs to happen … it is imperative that we are able to communicate right then,” Nickell said.

The Tiger masks, which were purchased out of Premier Health’s COVID-19 disaster fund, are made of pliable silicone that conforms to the user’s face and eliminates the potential for inadvertent loss of the mask seal when worn with the aircraft helmet, according to Premier Health. The masks also are also compatible with CareFlight’s night vision goggles that are required at night.

The masks are also used during the ground transport, where the driver’s cab and patient compartment are sealed from one another in order to isolate and decrease the potential exposure of COVID-19 to the driver of the mobile intensive care unit’s driver. The masks plug into the mobile unit’s communication system, just like it does with the aircraft.

“If we can keep our staff safe, we can everyone else safe,” Nickell said.