LIFE OR DEATH – EMT FIRST RESPONDERS

Year Published: 1970s

Format: 16mm

Description: This somewhat bizarre film about Emergency Medical Technicians or EMTs was produced and distributed by Film Commutators in Hollywood, California. The film dates to a time when ambulance crews were being replaced by paramedics / EMTs, who had sufficient training to make medical decisions and give on-scene care. The film makes a strong argument to decision makers in favor of upgrading from mere ambulance drivers to EMTs. The movie shows two car wrecks and rescue scenarios – one where the first responders aren’t EMTs and one where they are. The film is produced with the cooperation of the American Medical Association, Los Angeles County and City Fire Department, and Encino Hospital by Ray Jewell, with Mike Lloyd Ross as writer-director, Frederic Goodich as director of photography, Michael Castle as production manager, and Sound by Bill Leavenworth. (Note: Pittsburgh's branch of Freedom House paramedics are generally credited as the first EMT trainees in the U.S. ) A priest reciting from the Bible at a funeral (00:08). A gravestone (00:14). Two translucent heads hover at the funeral, as they tell the stories of how they died (00:17). An unconscious man in a wrecked car – the first ghost’s (Nr. 1) death-story (01:00). Two men doing mechanical work (01:26). A third man sends them on an ambulance to a rescue job (01:32). They enter the ambulance and drive (01:47). The two ghosts talk to each other (02:03). Another unconscious man in a different wrecked car – the second ghost’s (Nr. 2) death-story (02:10). Another car drives by (02:21). Views of the wrecked car (02:28). A ‘Modulance’ ambulance with two EMTs inside (00:32). Views of ambulance one en route to nr. 1’s car wreck (03:45). A near crash between the ambulance and cars on the road (03:48). The driver is smoking a cigar, and the man in the passenger’s seat is cursing (03:54). Views of ambulance two driving (04:12). Ambulance one runs out of gas and is pushed to a gas station (04:33). Altering scenes between the two ambulances en route for the car wrecks (04:44). Ambulance two arrives at Nr. 2’s car wreck (05:41). The EMT’s attend to the unconscious man in the front seat (05:51). Ambulance one arrives at the scene of the first car wreck (06:04). A liquid is leaking from the back of the car (06:19). The two men from the ambulance struggle to open the car’s doors (06:29). One gets a crowbar from a box with trash in the ambulance (06:47). One EMT takes tools from ambulance two (07:05). The two EMTs use the proper equipment to open the doors on the wrecked car (07:16) and to attend to and stabilize the unconscious man (07:31). The two men from ambulance one argue over who can use the crowbar to break the car wrecks’ window (09:17). The car wreck’s driver becomes conscious and sees one of the men smashing his window (09:30). He faints again (09:32). The two men shake him through the window (09:44). The EMTs from ambulance two use proper procedure to bring the unconscious man out from the car and onto a board (09:56). The two men from ambulance one are pulling the unconscious man through the window of the car and lay him on the ground (10:48). The EMTs inspect Nr. 2 (11:24). Police arrives to the scene of nr. 2’s wreck (14:15). Police arrive to the scene of wreck one (14:43). They struggle to lift Nr. 1 onto a gurney (15:19). The EMTs bring the second patient onto a gurney (16:05). Patient one is lifted onto a gurney without caution (16:51). The police officer at wreck one expresses disbelief of the unprofessionalism (17:03). The EMTs lift their patient into ambulance two (17:09). A fire truck arrives to wreck two (17:31). The ambulance drives away and the firefighters spray water on the wrecked car (17:41). The two men lift the man inside the back of ambulance one (17:59). One of the men throw a match and start a fire (18:22). The car catches on fire and explodes (18:30). They drive away (18:53). In ambulance two, one EMT is speaking on the radio, while the other EMT drives (19:11). The two ghosts are speaking (19:44). The two men drive recklessly in ambulance one, and the patient is tossed in the back (19:50). Ambulance two arrives to the hospital with Nr. 2 (21:00). The two ghosts are speaking (21:16). The casket of one of the ghosts is buried (22:25). Cast: James Cousar, Thomas Rolapp, John Fox, Phil Simms, Rory Guy, Brad Trumbull, John Rhone, and Colin Vogel.

Complete Record: This somewhat bizarre film about Emergency Medical Technicians or EMTs was produced and distributed by Film Commutators in Hollywood, California. The film dates to a time when ambulance crews were being replaced by paramedics / EMTs, who had sufficient training to make medical decisions and give on-scene care. The film makes a strong argument to decision makers in favor of upgrading from mere ambulance drivers to EMTs. The movie shows two car wrecks and rescue scenarios – one where the first responders aren’t EMTs and one where they are. The film is produced with the cooperation of the American Medical Association, Los Angeles County and City Fire Department, and Encino Hospital by Ray Jewell, with Mike Lloyd Ross as writer-director, Frederic Goodich as director of photography, Michael Castle as production manager, and Sound by Bill Leavenworth. (Note: Pittsburgh's branch of Freedom House paramedics are generally credited as the first EMT trainees in the U.S. ) A priest reciting from the Bible at a funeral (00:08). A gravestone (00:14). Two translucent heads hover at the funeral, as they tell the stories of how they died (00:17). An unconscious man in a wrecked car – the first ghost’s (Nr. 1) death-story (01:00). Two men doing mechanical work (01:26). A third man sends them on an ambulance to a rescue job (01:32). They enter the ambulance and drive (01:47). The two ghosts talk to each other (02:03). Another unconscious man in a different wrecked car – the second ghost’s (Nr. 2) death-story (02:10). Another car drives by (02:21). Views of the wrecked car (02:28). A ‘Modulance’ ambulance with two EMTs inside (00:32). Views of ambulance one en route to nr. 1’s car wreck (03:45). A near crash between the ambulance and cars on the road (03:48). The driver is smoking a cigar, and the man in the passenger’s seat is cursing (03:54). Views of ambulance two driving (04:12). Ambulance one runs out of gas and is pushed to a gas station (04:33). Altering scenes between the two ambulances en route for the car wrecks (04:44). Ambulance two arrives at Nr. 2’s car wreck (05:41). The EMT’s attend to the unconscious man in the front seat (05:51). Ambulance one arrives at the scene of the first car wreck (06:04). A liquid is leaking from the back of the car (06:19). The two men from the ambulance struggle to open the car’s doors (06:29). One gets a crowbar from a box with trash in the ambulance (06:47). One EMT takes tools from ambulance two (07:05). The two EMTs use the proper equipment to open the doors on the wrecked car (07:16) and to attend to and stabilize the unconscious man (07:31). The two men from ambulance one argue over who can use the crowbar to break the car wrecks’ window (09:17). The car wreck’s driver becomes conscious and sees one of the men smashing his window (09:30). He faints again (09:32). The two men shake him through the window (09:44). The EMTs from ambulance two use proper procedure to bring the unconscious man out from the car and onto a board (09:56). The two men from ambulance one are pulling the unconscious man through the window of the car and lay him on the ground (10:48). The EMTs inspect Nr. 2 (11:24). Police arrives to the scene of nr. 2’s wreck (14:15). Police arrive to the scene of wreck one (14:43). They struggle to lift Nr. 1 onto a gurney (15:19). The EMTs bring the second patient onto a gurney (16:05). Patient one is lifted onto a gurney without caution (16:51). The police officer at wreck one expresses disbelief of the unprofessionalism (17:03). The EMTs lift their patient into ambulance two (17:09). A fire truck arrives to wreck two (17:31). The ambulance drives away and the firefighters spray water on the wrecked car (17:41). The two men lift the man inside the back of ambulance one (17:59). One of the men throw a match and start a fire (18:22). The car catches on fire and explodes (18:30). They drive away (18:53). In ambulance two, one EMT is speaking on the radio, while the other EMT drives (19:11). The two ghosts are speaking (19:44). The two men drive recklessly in ambulance one, and the patient is tossed in the back (19:50). Ambulance two arrives to the hospital with Nr. 2 (21:00). The two ghosts are speaking (21:16). The casket of one of the ghosts is buried (22:25). Cast: James Cousar, Thomas Rolapp, John Fox, Phil Simms, Rory Guy, Brad Trumbull, John Rhone, and Colin Vogel.