Chief Jim Page Passes Away Suddenly

[WestTac1]

I have gotten word Cheif Jim Page has passed away suddenly.

I always enjoyed his articles in JEMS and Fire-Rescue Magazine, and what he has done to progress the fire service.

More information is availabe at http://cms.firehouse.com/content/art...Id=17&id=34818

RIP

[DeputyChiefGonzo]

I met Jim Page at the New England Fire/Rescue Expo a couple of years ago, I wanted to tell him how much I enjoyed Fire Rescue Magazine, and what started out as a brief encounter turned into a conversation.

He was a pioneer in this business and will be missed.

Rest in peace, Chief Page.

[leylandauto]

Sorry, I did not read the headline well enough and put this in the EMS General section first;

Wow, this is a hard one to take. One of my dreams was to meet Jim Page and get him to Autograph my copy of 'The Magic of Three AM'. I was/am a classic Jim Page/Jack Webb kid. First I wanted to be a cop just like Reed and Malloy and then one night I watched (with my father's permission) the premier pilot of a new show called Emergency and that changed everything else in my life. When I got my patch sewed on finally and got my first job with one of those Mom and Pop Privtes you do not see anymore I also got my subscription to JEMS. My favorite part was reading his editorial every month. He would not let people pass with doing second best and he called them on in many a time in the magazine. I depended and looked forward to his monthly words of wisdom. The EMS world is much dimmer tonight for his loss. Maybe in memory of Jim Page we should all pick up a text book and study a bit more on something we have gotten stale on. Striving for excellance is the best way to memorialize him.

[WTFD10]

Like many of us I also caught the fire service "bug" from "Emergency" as a kid and I have learned alot from his magazines and books.

Thanks Chief for all your contributions through the years.

Rest in peace Brother.

[Afd063]

My thoughts and prayers go out to Jim's family. I would always turn to his editorial as soon as my issue of FireRescue magazine came. His influence on the American fire service will never be able to be measured. He was one of those people that always seemed to hit the nail on the head with every stroke of his pen. We lost one of our great mentors last night.

[VTponyump]

It's just this simple...

No Jim Page, no "Emergency" on Saturday nights in 1972.

No "Emergency", probably no EMS as we know and practice it now.

I am so sad it hurts.

Rest well, Jim...we'll take it from here.

[Rescue21D]

I had the pleasure to meet Jim Page on a couple of occasions. He did a couple lectures at our annual EMS Teaching Day. He always took the time to stop and talk one on one with a lot of the conference attendees. He was truely one of the nicest guys around. He will be missed, but remembered fondly. God bless his family, and God speed Jim.

[N2DFire]

Like many others I never actually met Jim Page, but from years of reading his columns and articles in JEMS & FireRescue I felt like I knew him. I just heard the news this morning as I opened the EMS forum then went to the headlines page. I felt dumbstruck as I read the story. Even though I never met this man, I feel as if one of my best friends and mentors is gone.

My prayers & thoughts go out to not only his family but to all of you in the Fire & EMS community, Jim's extended family. We all hurt right now, but take comfort in the thought that Jim's work & legacy will live on in each of us. Every life that Jim touched now carries a part of him in it. It is now up to each of us to pass that little part of Jim in us down to the younger generations.
Hopefully when we think about Jim, we will see him as the kind of professional, friend , and mentor that we all strive to be.

Thank You Jim for your countless and unselfish contributions over these many years. Rest in peace.

[hwoods]

I've heard the phrase "Before his time" quite often, and taken it with a grain of salt, quite often. Chief Jim Page was "Before his time", in life, and in death. Jim's accomplishments are Legendary, and some were, at the time, a bit controversial, (Firemen practicing medicine?) Jim had the rare combination of Vision, and Ability that allowed him to work for, and achive, meaningful change that benefited both Emergency Services and the Public. Jim Page has left us too soon, with so much more that we could learn from him. With Jim Page, "Before his time" is an apt discription, not a hackneyed phrase. Rest in Peace, Brother.

[JimMccarthy]

I remember meeting him once or twice at LACo Harbor General Hospital (Rampart General) while I was working in the ER.
As far as I can remember (old age), The Chief was one helluva guy. Loved the Paramedic concept and wanted it to succeed.

He will be missed.

Jim Mc Carthy, RN-C, FF/EMT
White Bear Lake FD
Former MICN, LA County

RIP, Chief Jim

[medic815]

If I'd known thirty years ago I would be doing this job because of watching a t.v. show about firefighters and paramedics I would have said your crazy but to know that someone cared enough to present it in a way that it effected so many lives I am proud to be a firefighter paramedic.
I never meet Chief but I wish I'd had the chance.
To his family god bless and be safe, and to Chief we know your watching from afar and your with us when we respond but now you can rest easy we will keep on with your lifes work.

[Weruj1]

The entire fire and EMS service has lost a dear friend. I had the privledge of meeting Jim on more than one occassion and he always took the time to talk to me. When I first met him at the Emergency Convention in 1998 we shared multiple stores and conversations in the bar of the hotel, what a great individual. I too as a kid was an avid EMERGENCY fan and I still maintain a great collection of memoribilia (sp) related to the show. Jim, rest in peace and thank you for all you have done both passively and aggressively to better both individuals and departments throughout the globe. I am truly saddened to hear of your passing.

[AshFireBuff]

I was shocked to read that Jim Page had passed away. I remember when I was a little boy watching "EMERGENCY!" on TV. He did an awesome job for paramedicine and the fire service.

My thoughts are with him and his family.

Ashley Rogers, EMT
Dispatcher
Arkansas

[firenresq77]

Rest in Peace, Brother. Thanks for all that you have done for us....

[paramedicjen]

The Fire and EMS world lost one of our greatest leaders. A man who had vision, foresight and guts to change how America and the world provides emergency services. Chief Page's life was a testament to his dedication to Fire and EMS.

Rest, Brother, for your job is done. Those you have inspired and trained will carry the torch. Thank you for all you have done.

RIP

[cctmedic2002]

Thank You Jim for all that you have given us. I am one who was influenced by Emergency! many years ago. Since then, I have had a very rewarding career in the Fire Service and EMS. Both you and your family members are in my depest thoughts and prayers. God Bless you for your kindness and generosity.

[louromig]

I'm so proud to say that Jim and I were friends but, then again, Jim gained a new friend each time he met someone for the first time. His quiet charisma, steel-trap memory, humility, and years of diverse experience made him a magnetic personality. I looked forward to his big grin and a warm hug each time we crossed paths.

When I heard of Jim's death, I was in the middle of the howling winds of Hurricane Frances, but it was not the storm that had the greatest impact on me that night...

Jim lived with passion and generously shared that passion. Our practices as emergency care providers and fire fighters are what they are now due, in part, to Jim and his contributions. Both my professional and personal lives were enriched by this tremendous, truly memorable man.

If we can each continue to care, about our families and friends, our jobs, our coworkers, and those who turn to us in their moments of greatest need, we will carry on Jim's greatest legacy.

To Jim's family, we grieve with you. We too will miss him. But even more importantly, we will celebrate his life and his contributions and continue to answer the bell, just as he always did. Thank you for sharing Jim with us for so many years.

Lou Romig MD
Medical Advisor, Miami Dade Fire Rescue

[gagaines]

I served a chief of Fairfax County VA. for eight years and a total of 35 years on the line. I thought I had learned the definition of courage as a young firefighter and company officer crawling down super heated stairways to combat a roaring basement fire, or moving in to shut down a ruptured 4 inch natural gas line next to an occupied structure. That is until I first read Jim Page's first articles and text. He challenged the honored and closely held truths that most fire service leaders wore as a badge of honor. He also never allowed us to second guess our brothers and sister firefighters.

The most recent example I can recall was his article that addressed those who questioned the decision to enter the WTC when there was very indication that a collapse was not only possible but likely. I will not dishonor hem by an attempt to quote his words other than to say that he simply said that if you didn't want to go in, go up; then get out of the business.

We later learned that the first arriving firefighters and officers were advised that ninety-nine elevators were stopped in motion, with every reason to believe that most if not all of them contained trapped victims.

His Uncommon courage and frank eloquent writings served as an answer to unanswered questions, and getting to the core of what is right and just.

I pray that there is someone in our profession who will fill the silence of our loss.

Chief, I will miss your guidance, wisdom, courage, and vision.

[WWMedic3]

Jim Page is one of those people who will be missed by the world of EMS.
I never had the honor to meet him, but have read many of the articles that he has written. He was one of those people who will be remembered by those who knew him and those who wish we had had that honor.
Rest in peace Jim.
My condolences go to the Page family in this time of greif.

Ed

[SafetyPro]

My condolences to the family and friends of Chief Page. Though I never had the chance to meet him in person, I know the great impact he had on EMS as we know it and was saddened to learn of his passing.

Rest in peace, Chief.