"A tragically hilarious glimpse into the challenged, yet powerful mind of a seasoned paramedic and the brotherhood called EMS." -Dan Flynn, NRP, RN-BSN, BS, cast on A&E's Nightwatch.

Known as one of America's most dangerous cities, New Orleans plays host to incidents ranging from the tragic and disturbing to the completely bizarre-and during his career as an emergency medic, Jon McCarthy saw it all. He chronicles some of the most formative calls of his career in this autobiography that reads like crime fiction. McCarthy demonstrates with detail and clarity that the difficult choice is often the right choice. While not for the faint of heart, each entry in this collection provides poignant insight into the bonds between medics and the people and city they serve.   

Born the son of a police officer in Tallahassee, Florida, Jon McCarthy began his public service as an active-duty member of the United States Coast Guard. After leaving the military, he entered the world of emergency medical services and has worked for twenty years as a paramedic. McCarthy was one of sixteen medics chosen to be on the TLC program Paramedics. He became one of the co-creators of the New Orleans EMS Field Training Officer (FTO) program and served as the lead FTO for five years. As an ardent comic book fan, McCarthy co-created and wrote the first issue of the comic book Hungry for Stink. McCarthy is also the author of the children’s book Goodbye Bad Dreams. He lives in New Orleans with his wife, Suzanne, his two sons, Logan and Gryphon, and a multitude of dogs and cats.

ISBN: 9781455623211

Paperback

6 x 9

240 pages

Pelican Publishing, 2017