Joliet Junior College Fire Science/EMS

08/05/2026

07/12/2026

Not everyone makes the NYT obit page.... a sign of what he meant to Fire/EMS in the US...

The odds are if you have shift mates over age 50, they got into this partly thanks to Emergency!

His portrayal of the firefighter and paramedic on the 1970s television hit helped expand the American public’s familiarity with emergency medicine.

07/11/2026

From the Los Angeles County fire museum:

As many of you have already heard we lost an icon last night. We lost an inspiration to millions, we lost our beloved Johnny Gage. Many of us at the Museum have called Randy Mantooth our friend since 1998. He has been an amazing friend to our organization and a steadfast champion for our mission. We were honored by his support and friendship. We treated Randy like one of the guys because that’s who he was to us. We all grew up watching Johnny and Roy saving the day across the largest fire district in the world and it was an incredible experience to have him in our lives. Randy was always willing to work with the Museum and participate in the fan based events we hosted. He loved you all, his fans. He always marveled at how so many still cherished what he called “the little show that just won’t die”. He would expressly make clear that during events he wanted to be able to spend some time with each fan and not have them rushed through. This made for some terrible lines but surely enhanced the fan experience. He did that because he cared. He cared about each and everyone of you. He truly gave of himself and he and that little show that just won’t die had a massive positive impact on the world that few probably realize.

How many people today can even remember a time when there weren’t Paramedics within a few minutes of most metropolitan and suburban communities? How many Paramedic programs got their start because of the example seen on “Emergency!”? I can’t even imagine how many lives have been saved because of Paramedics across our country and even across the world. And of course how many individuals became firefighters and or Paramedics because Johnny and Roy and crew of Engine 51? What an impact!

So today we mourn our friend while celebrating his life and marveling at the amazing impact on society in which he played such an integral role. We will miss him. We treated him like one of the guys. Like one of the crew. We treated him like a brother firefighter and I know he enjoyed that as much as we did.

Randy was not only a spokesman for our Museum he was a spokesman for the LA County Fire Department. He was County through and through and he let everyone know it. He learned about being a Firefighter Paramedic from the pioneers of that position within our Department. He had some great stories. I’ll share one with you right now.

Randy was riding along on Squad 36 with Bob Bellevue and one of our other early Paramedics whose name escapes me right now. They got called out to an assault call. They pull up, get out of the Rescue Squad and retrieve their gear. As they turn to walk to the house a man walks up and the man has a hatchet stuck in his forehead! Not something you see everyday. As the men move to start treating the victim the victim tells them that his girlfriend is in the house and she was in rough shape since he had just beat her up after she planted the hatched in his skull. Bob Bellevue tells Randy to stay with the man with the hatchet in his head and he and the other Paramedic rushed to check on the woman

So there’s poor Randy standing with the man and he has no idea what to do and the man asks Randy for a cigarette. Randy happened to have a pack so he gave the man a cigarette and lit it for him and decided he needed one for himself. So there they stood shooting the breeze while having a smoke with Randy trying to not look at the hatchet in the man’s head.

I’ll never forget Randy telling me that story and his expressions and body language. It was hilarious and it was a great example of the unbelievable things we first responders sometimes encounter.

Thank you Randy for your friendship! You will be sorely missed.

To Randy’s wife Kristen and Randy’s family. We are here for you all and want to thank you for sharing Randy with us and the world.
We are so very sorry for your loss.

KMG 365

07/10/2026

05/19/2026

This week, we proudly celebrate EMS Week and recognize the dedicated paramedics and EMTs who answer the call every day and night to serve our community.

Their commitment, compassion, and professionalism make a difference in the lives of so many during some of life’s most difficult moments. From medical emergencies to community education and public service, EMS professionals are always ready to help when it matters most.

Thank you to all EMS personnel for your hard work, sacrifice, and dedication to keeping our community safe. 🚑💙

05/19/2026

🚑 Happy EMS Week 2026 from Dwight EMS! 🚑

EMS Week is a time to recognize and celebrate the EMTs, paramedics, firefighters, dispatchers, nurses, and first responders who work every day to provide emergency care to our communities.

We are incredibly proud of the dedicated members of Dwight EMS and thankful for the strong partnerships we share with Dwight Fire, Odell Fire, Emington-Campus Fire, Allen Township Fire, our hospitals, dispatchers, law enforcement agencies, and mutual aid departments.

Thank you to all EMS professionals for your hard work, compassion, dedication, and commitment to serving others — day and night.

We also want to thank our community for your continued support and trust in us.

Happy EMS Week 2026! 🇺🇸🚑💙

05/19/2026

🚑 Happy EMS Week! 🚑

EMS Week was first established in 1974 by President Gerald R. Ford to honor Emergency Medical Services professionals and recognize the critical role they play in our communities.

This week, we celebrate the paramedics and EMTs who show up every day—on the toughest calls, during long nights, and when people need help the most.

Thank you to all EMS providers for your dedication, compassion, and commitment to serving others. We appreciate everything you do.

05/17/2026

Happy EMS week! If you don't know who Johnny and Roy are, ask your chief... or your captain... or your lieutenant... or your barn boss. And then take a look at this....

(Produced by Randy Mantooth, Kevin Tighe, and a lot of people who care about EMS).

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/intotheunknowndoc/into-the-unknown-the-paramedic-documentary?fbclid=IwdGRjcAR3ERBjbGNrBHcP9GV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDDM1MDY4NTUzMTcyOAABHmQU80Rfuva_eoBCcDYz_XS77GAUA5sD6VAso3I073zd5VTDcUkhnexu5o58_aem_dRHoCACaTxi7gtuzRqTdnA

From the director of BURN and executive producers Randolph Mantooth, Kevin Tighe, and Steve Buscemi