Rescue Paramedics
True - life stories of front line paramedics
| By | Brett Stevens |
|---|---|
| Format | Paperback / softback |
| Page Extent | 216 |
| Book Size | 235 x 155 x 14 mm (H x W x D) |
| Imprint | New Holland Publishers |
| Release Date | 27 Sep 2018 |
| Subject Classification | Social services & welfare, criminology / Social welfare & social services / Emergency services / Ambulance & rescue services |
eBook available
As a photojournalist and author, Brett Stevens has for decades recounted the stories of those working on the front lines of our emergency services. From the chaos of policing to the toxic realms of firefighting, he has witnessed and written upon their stresses.
Himself, working as a cop and then moving into industrial fire rescue, has allowed him to develop a greater understanding of the operational and emotional dynamics of their worlds, but it wasn’t until he transferred to the army reserves medical corps that he came to realise that although the paramedics had always been there they had been little more than ghosts to him. Present in spirit but none the less transparent. It was only when he developed an understanding of the medical sphere and worked in the field with these government paramedics did he come to understand their unique challenges and incredible pressures. Climbing down a cliff to stabilise a para-glider, treating ice addicts that have rammed each other on a freeway, working to save a severely electrocuted boy, reliving a man’s fight to survive horrendous burns, seeing a child die and witnessing the absolute terror of his parents, these and many others are retold.
As the author works in the field with the three paramedics they eventually open up and reveal their experiences, despair and exhilarations, which encapsulates the trials and tribulations of a rescue paramedic. This book is written in the first person with Brett’s interviews reflections of a far-reaching range of incidents, violence and emotional impact.
It is the author’s hope that the reader becomes more aware of their world just as he did while writing this book.
These stories are quite dramatic and, on occasion, even emotional as the reader appreciates the stresses that continually being placed at the centre of a life or death situation can have.Brett Stevens
Brett Stevens joined the NSW Police Force in 1982 where he served for 13 years. During this period, he worked at some of the toughest areas, such as King’s Cross, the red-light precinct of Sydney and various patrol, drug and tactical units. From 1989 to the mid-1990s he moonlighted as a freelance photojournalist. Possessing a keen interest in law enforcement, Brett studied crime and tactics across the USA, interviewing hundreds of cops and published their stories in the international magazine market. A reservist in the Australian Army, he now works as a consultant in the field of risk and emergency management for a multi-national organisation.
