While a profound and much deserved amount of attention has been directed towards the firefighters and police officers who were affected by the events of September 11, 2001; seldom has there been any attention provided to the often unrecognized rescuer who bears the title of Emergency Medical Technician or Paramedic. These very special people have routinely been referred too simply as "emergency workers", rather than by the title they continuously demonstrate by the nature of their very trying profession.
M. O. S.: Member of the Service, pulled from my 18 years of experience in 911 emergency and public safety services, was assembled to provide deeper insight into the mind of one such New York City 911 Emergency Medical Technician/Paramedic.
Based on a true story set in urban New York City pre-September 11th, a Paramedic of NYC EMS finds his world suddenly turned upside down by a series of in-the-line-of-duty events. In an effort to understand what brought him there, he begins reconnecting the events in his work and personal life that created this unforeseen scenario. Facing daily crises and how they apply to how he entered this line of work, readers are also shown the closeness by which is felt and experienced working in such close proximity to those who face death and destruction together as a team daily. Comforted and kept together by his female mate, readers are taken through the sometimes playing field and often minefield of emergency medical services in New York City; and what it means to be a Member of the Service.
This book was created to share the human condition of 911 EMTs and paramedics, their camaraderie, bravery and skill. Although September 11, 2001, claimed at least eight lives of these specialized rescuers, not even this was enough to direct attention toward the New York City Emergency Technicians and Paramedics who lost their lives daily or were permanently scarred in the line of duty. The title of "Hero" for those that died and those that are out there every day risking their lives to save others existed long before September 10th changed calendar days, and this book is an offering to share that view.
C. B. Garris is a former Advanced Emergency medical technician of NYC EMS, the New York City Emergency Medical Service; one of the largest urban EMS systems in the world. His internal responsibilities also included serving as the Assistant Watch Commander/Senior Telecommunications Specialist and 911 operations resource coordinator in the NYC EMS 911 Telecommunications (Command and Control) division. In addition to his professional experience including EMS patient management at large scale 911 operations and911 Communications and Logistical Operations, firefighting and tactical EMS/law Enforcement response; he has managed logistical coordination in response, incident command and supervision of mass casualty incidents including aviation & rapid transit emergencies, hazardous materials incidents, civil disturbances, dignitary visits and acts of terrorism. He has served additionally as a Public Information Officer on numerous high profile incidents within the City of New York.
As well as performing the functions of EMS Instruction and Field Evaluation for EMS students, he also served as an instructor of EMS Special Operations Communications in the NYC 911 system. He has served as an instructor of Emergency Medicine at he UCLA Medical Center/Center for Prehospital Care as well as a Public Safety/Emergency Management/Dive rescue and Logistics Consultant to the motion picture industry, providing support to both the public and private sector as well. He presently resides domestically in the United States.