What TV show spurred you to join EMS?

[mycrofft]

(PS: see thread about EMERGENCY tv show and look for a related poll about that).

Most of us didn't fall into prehospital EMS (PEMS) like babies raised by wolves. What media (formerly called "TV") show(s) inspired you to "go for it"? And, if we may be so bold, how old are you now? Or were then when you were so affected?

 

[Pavehawk]

The first show that caused me to think about public safety was called RESCUE 8 and it was about LA County Fire rescue back BEFORE paramedics or EMTs. I was five I think or close to it.

Emergency hit the year I became a military medic... and I haven't looked back. February of this year marked 40 years as a medic, firefighter, military reservist, emergency management professional, and now as a retired person back as an EMT and about to go back to medic school in May.

Yeah I'm nuts, but wth everyone needs a hobby!!

 

[mycrofft]

Wow, predated EMERGENCY! by about 15 years!

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0051307/


"The experiences of two rescue specialists with the L.A. County Fire Department, whose job is to rescue people from dangerous, life-threatening situations (car accidents, cave-ins, stranded hikers, capsized boaters, etc.). This show predates the better known "Emergency!" (1972) by almost 15 years." (IMDB website above).

 

[Sasha]

I don't base my career choices on television.

 

[adamjh3]

I don't base my career choices on television.

Yup.

I have a very "service" oriented family. Dad was in the army, brother was in the army and is now pursuing law enforcement. Both grandfathers in the navy, great grandfather was a police officer. I have an uncle who's a volley firefighter in PA. So it was kind of inevitable that I'd end up doing something similar.

 

[abckidsmom]

My family was already in EMS, and I probably already had the bug, but we used to discuss Rescue 911 on the playground every day in the third grade.

I am embarrassed to watch that show any more. There are some episodes on YouTube. High drama!

 

[adamjh3]

I will say Help! Following paramedics has helped motivate me, though I was already in EMS before I found the show. I love how calm and relaxed all of them are on scene, definitely can't wait until I'm that comfortable with ALS calls. I've got a long way to go

 

[medicsb]

First exposure to EMS was the show Rescue 911. But, TV had no influence on me entering EMS. It was discovering an old edition of the PHTLS book in a used book-store that really got me interested in EMS. I'm 30.

 

[Veneficus]

Emergency,

I think I was 7 or 8 at the time.

 

[Medic Tim]

My father was a critical care flight medic and used to be one of the owners of the local ambulance service. I grew up with it. Oh and rescue 911. I am 27 yo.

 

[FLdoc2011]

My father was a critical care flight medic and used to be one of the owners of the local ambulance service. I grew up with it. Oh and rescue 911. I am 27 yo.

Rescue 911! Forgot about that show, used to watch it all the time.

 

[DesertMedic66]

Never watched any TV shows about EMS or fire while growing up. None of my family are in EMS, Fire, or PD. I am an odd ball lol.

What got me interested was watching the live broadcast of 9/11 in 4th grade (I think it was 4th).

 

[STXmedic]

Only show like that I watched growing up was Cops. But I grew up around EMS/Fire/Pd and am a 4th generation firefighter, so I hardly fell into it.

 

[Epi-do]

It had nothing to do with TV for me. I tended to be drawn towards military and public safety workers while I was dating. I also had several friends who fell into those catagories. One of them finally suggested I take an EMT class and do the stuff myself. That was just over 13 years ago.

 

[mm505]

No TV show or movie motivated me. In 1980 I saw a car cut a Jeep off and the Jeep left the road, rolled and ejected the driver. I stopped to see what I could do to help, and the person on the ground was a DeKalb County (GA) Paramedic. He was conscious & alert x3 (back then I didn't know what that meant) and even though in extreme pain, he told me what I needed to do to help him. After EMS arrived and I got to work, I called the local Community College up and signed up. The rest is history!

 

[mycrofft]

Some of you people ARE TV shows.

 

[Medic29]

Rescue 911

It was the helicopter at the end of every episode that got me working towards being a flight medic (that and living across from an ED helipad).

On days when I'm really bored I'll watch old episodes on YouTube.

 

[DrParasite]

Rescue 77 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rescue_77

 

[Sandog]

I am 50 years old, served my country in the US Navy, participated in rescue of Vietnamese refugees in 79, worked most of my life as an electronics engineer.
My life felt empty as I stared endlessly at a computer screen, I wanted something more, pay was not an issue at this point. There was no TV show or movie that influenced me to change careers, it was in fact an incident where I was in need of medical services, and the medic crews were so good to me and made me feel safe, that I decided that I would want to make someone else feel the same when they were in need. I did my EMT soon after, went to the wildland fire academy, I was the oldest candidate ever to attend, I was kinda proud of that fact. So, that's my story.
If I were to pick a show, it would have to be Emergency.

 

[hippocratical]

I have always loved medical shows; early seasons of House being my favourite. That said, it wasn't TV that made me want to be in EMS.

Enjoying Medical TV shows /= wanting to be in EMS.
Being fascinated by medicine and emergent care = wanting to be in EMS.

I guess I can thank medical TV shows for showing me that paramedicine existed. Sure I've seen an ambulance drive past before, but TV showed me who might be inside. Kinda.