# James O. Page, Father of EMS, Dies Suddenly



## ffemt8978 (Sep 6, 2004)

**_I got this in an e-mail, so I don't have the link for it_**

James O. Page, whom many consider the father of modern emergency
medical services (EMS), died suddenly Sept. 4. He was 68. Page will
be greatly missed by his mother, Marion, his wife, Jane, four
children and six grandchildren.

Page’s passing shocked the EMS and fire community, which regards
Page as an advocate, visionary and among the greatest minds in
emergency services. The staff of Jems is deeply saddened by a day
they’d hoped would never come.

According to paramedics on scene, Page was stricken while swimming
in the afternoon of Sept. 4. Page, a fitness enthusiast who in his
writing and speaking often urged the fire and emergency services to
embrace healthier lifestyles, had no known history of heart disease.


Carlsbad (Calif.) Fire Chief Kevin Crawford is leading a team making
plans for a memorial service. Further information on the service
will be made available soon.

Page began his fire service career in Los Angeles County in 1957.
He served in numerous locations and roles while working his way
through the ranks and completing undergraduate education and law
school at night.  He has been a licensed California attorney since
1971.

In 1971, Page was assigned by his department to coordinate the
countywide implementation of paramedic rescue services.  At the same
time, he served as technical consultant and writer for the
“Emergency!” television series.

In 1973, he left the fire department to accept the new position of
Chief of EMS for the State of North Carolina.

Page spent the next ten years based on the east coast.  In 1976, he
was selected as executive director of the non-profit ACT (Advanced
Coronary Treatment) Foundation.  In 1979, he founded JEMS (Journal
of Emergency Medical Services) and turned it into one of the world’s
most respected sources of information for emergency services. While
at Jems Communications he oversaw the launch of FireRescue Magazine,
for which he wrote the highly regarded “Burning Issues” column.

In 1984, Page returned to the California fire service while
maintaining a leadership role in Jems.  In 1989, he retired as Fire
Chief for the City of Monterey Park (in Los Angeles County) and
returned to a full-time leadership role as Chairman and CEO of Jems
Communications.

Over the years, Page published five books, wrote more than 400
magazine articles and editorials, and presented more than 800 public
speeches.  In 1996 he established and funded an EMS educational
foundation at Palomar College in San Marcos, Calif., because of his
intense interest in EMS education.

In 1995, the International Association of Fire Chiefs honored him by
creating the annual “James O. Page Award of Excellence.”  In 2000,
he was recognized by Fire Chief Magazine as one of the 20 most
influential fire chiefs of the 20th Century. In 2002, Jems
Communications created the annual “James O. Page/JEMS award,”
presented annually to an organization or individual who excels in
EMS leadership in the face of extreme political or organizational
pressures.

In December 2001, he retired from Jems Communications and was given
the title of Publisher Emeritus.  Page, a partner in the law firm of
Page, Wolfberg and Wirth, with offices in California and
Pennsylvania, continued as a prolific writer and speaker in the fire
and EMS fields.  Page was also a collector of vintage fire and
rescue vehicles, including his prized Rescue 11.

Over the past year, Page had toured the 100 “best small towns” in
America with wife Jane in a custom RV, with the intent of profiling
each town’s fire department and common success factors. He had
already visited over 30 fire departments at the time of his passing,
and was inspired and enthused by what he had seen in his visits and
travels.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that donations be made
to the County of Los Angeles Fire Museum, James O. Page Memorial
fund, P.O. Box 3325, Alhambra, CA 91803.


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## SafetyPro2 (Sep 7, 2004)

I got home from a weekend trip to find on my dispatch pager, among other things, an announcement about Chief Page's passing.

While I never had the chance to meet him personally, I know his legacy. His impact on EMS both in L.A. County and throughout the country is, in a word, awesome. I was reading the tributes over on Firehouse.com and it's amazing to see the number of people in this field he impacted...even those he never met.

Rest in peace, Chief, and thanks for all you did for us.


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## MMiz (Sep 7, 2004)

I too got the email, and did an internet search looking for more information.  I never heard of the man before his passing, but from my limited research, he strived to further the goals and values of EMS.

Thanks for all you've done.


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