The Surprisingly Short History of Paramedics

While ambulances and emergency response existed in the early 20th century, the personnel staffing these ambulances often had little medical training. It was not uncommon for ambulances to be staffed by funeral home workers, as the same vehicles used to transport the sick were often used for the deceased. The 1960s and 70s were pivotal decades for the evolution of the EMS field. In the U.S., public awareness about the need for trained emergency medical responders grew, especially following high-profile events and accidents. A landmark report titled “Accidental Death and Disability: The Neglected Disease of Modern Society“ (often referred to as “The White Paper“) was published in 1966 by the National Academy of Sciences. It highlighted the inadequacies in pre-hospital care and accident prevention and sparked significant reforms. Following “The White Paper,“ there was a push for advanced training for pre-hospital care providers. The first paramedic programs began to emerge in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Cities like Los Angeles and Miami were among the pioneers in establishing paramedic programs. These early paramedics were trained to perform advanced life-saving interventions, such as intubation, IV therapy, and drug administration. The popular TV show “Emergency!“ which aired in the early 1970s, portrayed the lives of paramedics and did much to raise awareness and promote the paramedic profession to the general public.