The Dark Ages
of EMS

About This Book

Why does EMS have the issues it faces today? The Dark Ages of EMS answers that question through historical perspectives, connecting the defunding decisions of the 1980s to the systemic challenges that persist in modern emergency medical services.

During the early 1980s, federal funding for EMS was dramatically reduced and eventually eliminated. The consequences of those decisions — fragmented systems, workforce shortages, funding instability, and regulatory inconsistency — continue to shape EMS today. Understanding this critical era is essential to building a better future for the profession.

This book draws on primary source documents, policy analysis, and firsthand accounts to illuminate one of the most consequential — and least understood — periods in EMS history.