5 EMS Authors You Must Read

By Dan Limmer

Over the years there have been some very meaningful books written by EMS providers. Here are five authors I believe are in the “must read” category. If they have written it, you should invest the time in reading it.

Reading their work helps you, helps them and helps EMS.

In no particular order…

James O. Page – As an advisor to the Emergency! Television show, fire chief, attorney, founder of JEMS magazine and more, Jim Page is frequently considered a father of the modern EMS system we have today. While they may be a bit challenging to find, his books include The Magic of 3am, Simple Advice, The Paramedics and more. Jim’s words are smart and timeless. He was taken from us too soon, but his wisdom lives on in his books and columns.

Thom Dick – I’ve felt a warmth for Thom since the first time I met him. He was EMS royalty and I was speaking at my very first conference. He was larger than life yet so insightful and supportive. His voluminous articles and notable book, People Care, are must reads for any EMS provider.

Steve Berry – Steve is funny; but if you only consider him funny you are missing out. Steve’s humor is based on his uncanny ability to see the craziness, irony and sometimes sadness in the average EMS day. His cartoons (In the I’m Not an Ambulance Driver book series), articles and conference presentations fall into the legendary category in my book for the profoundly insightful and uproariously funny messages he delivers.

Kelly Grayson – Kelly is the EMS everyman. With eloquence, and a significant dose of telling it like it is, Kelly’s columns on EMS1.com (award winning, by the way) and books connect with readers on multiple levels. His conference presentations are legendary for their combination of insight and humor.

Michael Morse – Michael is no stranger to writing—or to speaking his mind on social media. His books (Rescuing Providence, Rescue 1 Responding and City Life) show a writing talent that is rare in EMS; his stories are raw and come from deep inside him. His books have a literary feel you’ll respect and a connection to the street that you’ll recognize.

I stuck to some big names in the business, but this does not mean that talent and being a prolific writer are limited to the people I listed here. Jamie Davis’ Extreme Medical Service series,  Caitlyn Armistead’s Crossing the Line, and Dave Konig’s non-fiction titles come to mind as example of authors who have talent and much to say. When we think of talent in EMS we often think of clinical prowess or dynamic education. EMS has an abundant supply of expression and creativity. I look forward to seeing more of this in the future.

So, this list could be much longer. Who’s on yours?