JEMS
The Journal of Emergency Medical Services
JEMS was founded by Jim Page as publisher with Keith Griffiths as founding editor in October, 1979. At the time, Page was the executive director of the ACT Foundation (Advanced Coronary Treatment) which was supported by pharmaceutical companies, and used that position to fund the magazine. Page purchased Paramedic International, a quarterly magazine put out for several years by paramedic Ron Simmons, for $1.00. Page and Griffiths published the last issue of PI in November, 1979, and converted it to JEMS, with the first issue out on the streets in March, 1980.
James O. Page
Page was a contributing writer and advisor to the magazine Emergency, published by Glen Hare and his medical device company, DynaMed, when he met Griffiths in 1978, who was managing editor of the magazine. Page, a brilliant writer, speaker, fire chief and attorney, had a vision for JEMS as a transformative publication, which tackled the tough issues of the day head-on. In addition to JEMS, Page and Griffiths started the trade conference EMS Today, Fire-Rescue Magazine, the peer reviewed journal Prehospital and Disaster Medicine, created consulting and book divisions, among other offerings and magazines focused on the public safety and emergency care market. They sold the company to the Times Mirror Corporation in 1993 and became part of their Mosby Publishing Division, which provided health-care publications and textbooks, many in the emergency field. Jim Page died in 2006, but his legacy lives ones the “father of modern EMS.” Griffiths went on to be co-founder of the RedFlash Group, a marketing and communication firm focused on public safety, and now in its 20th year.
(The above was submitted to The National EMS Museum by Keith Griffiths)
Keith Griffiths
JEMS is still in operation today, although it is now published completely online via jems.com. According to their website JEMS and EMS Today: The JEMS Conference and Exposition are committed to being the leading providers of information for the improvement of patient care in the prehospital setting. We achieve our mission by delivering the latest and most reliable information through clinical breakthroughs, compelling case studies, management perspectives, legal advice, product innovations, research, special editorial sections, supplements, face-to-face networking and more. JEMS seeks to improve prehospital patient care and promote positive change in EMS by delivering information and education from industry leaders, change makers and emerging voices. With a rich tradition of editorial excellence and an unparalleled consortium of subject matter experts, JEMS fulfills its commitment to EMS providers, instructors and administrators by providing state-of-the-science, high-quality content. (www.jems.com)