emergency medical services

Introduces readers to various career options in the field of emergency response and covers what the jobs entail, educational requirements, salary ranges, required skills, employment prospects, and more.

"A former paramedic's visceral, poignant, and mordantly funny account of a decade spent on Atlanta's mean streets saving lives and connecting with the drama and occasional beauty that lies inside catastrophe. In the aftermath of 9/11 Kevin Hazzard felt that something was missing from his life--his days were too safe, too routine. A failed salesman turned local reporter, he wanted to test himself, see how he might respond to pressure and danger. He signed up for emergency medical training and became, at age twenty-six, a newly minted EMT running calls in the worst sections of Atlanta. His life entered a different realm--one of blood, violence, and amazing grace. Thoroughly intimidated at first and frequently terrified, he experienced on a nightly basis the adrenaline rush of walking into chaos. But in his downtime, Kevin reflected on how people's facades drop away when catastrophe strikes. As his hours on the job piled up, he realized he was beginning to see into the truth of things. There is no pretensefive beats into a chest compression, or in an alley next to a crack den, or on a dimly lit highway where cars have collided. Eventually, what had at first seemed impossible happened: Kevin acquired mastery. And in the process he was able to discern the professional differences between his freewheeling peers, what marked each--as he termed them--as "a tourist," "true believer," or "killer." Combining indelible scenes that remind us of life's fragile beauty with laugh-out-loud moments that keep us smilingthrough the worst, A Thousand Naked Strangers is an absorbing read about one man's journey of self-discovery--a trip that also teaches us about ourselves"--.

Introduces the tools that emergency medical technicians use.

Describes the work of a paramedic.

Dr. Paul Farmer describes the devastating impact the January 12, 2010, earthquake had on Haiti, and chronicles the experiences he and his colleagues had in the year following the quake as they worked with the UN to try and aid in the country's recovery efforts.

A guide for people considering a career as an emergency medical technician, discussing the specifics of the job; providing information about pay scales, training programs, and other topics; and including advice on financial aid, securing a job, and succeeding in the profession.

Describes the dangerous work done by first responders--teams that include the police, fire department, emergency medical services, and ambulances, discussing the training needed to do the job, and looking at how rescue operations work.