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First Responder: A Memoir of Life, Death, and Love on New York City's Frontlines
One woman's incredible story of life on the front lines as an emergency medical worker in New York City.
On the streets of New York City, EMTs and paramedics do more than respond to emergencies; they eat and drink together, look out for each other’s safety, mercilessly make fun of one another, date one other, and, most crucially, share terrifying experiences and grave injustices suffered under the city’s long-broken EMS system.
Their loyalty to one another is fierce and absolute. As Jennifer Murphy shows in the gripping and moving First Responder , they are a family. A dysfunctional family, perhaps, but what family isn't?
Many in the field of pre-hospital emergency care have endured medical trauma and familial hardship themselves. Some are looking to give back. Some are desperate for family. Some were inspired by 9/11. Still others want to become doctors, nurses, firefighters, cops, and want to cut their teeth on the streets. As rescuers, they never want people to die or get hurt. But if they are going to die or get hurt, first responders want to be there.
Despite the vital role they play New York City, EMTs are paid less than trash collectors, and far less than any other first responder makes, even though the burden of medical emergencies fall on the backs of EMTs and medics. Yet for Jennifer and her brothers and sisters, it's a calling more than a job. First responders are constantly exposed to infectious diseases, violence, and death. The coronavirus pandemic did not change that math; the public is just more aware of it.
After 9/11, EMT training schools experienced a surge in applications from civilians wanting to become first responders, inspired by rescuers who responded to the terrorist attacks and rushed into the burning towers when everyone else ran out. The same will almost certainly be true post-coronavirus as people are moved by a desire to help in times of crisis in a more direct way.
Funny and heartwarming, inspiring and poignant, First Responder follows Jennifer's journey to becoming an EMT and working during and beyond the Covid-19 pandemic. She will bring readers inside an intense world filled with crisis, rescue, grief, uncertainty, and dark humor. First Responder will move readers to a greater understanding and appreciation of those fighting for them—wherever they live—in a world they hardly know or could imagine.
On the streets of New York City, EMTs and paramedics do more than respond to emergencies; they eat and drink together, look out for each other’s safety, mercilessly make fun of one another, date one other, and, most crucially, share terrifying experiences and grave injustices suffered under the city’s long-broken EMS system.
Their loyalty to one another is fierce and absolute. As Jennifer Murphy shows in the gripping and moving First Responder , they are a family. A dysfunctional family, perhaps, but what family isn't?
Many in the field of pre-hospital emergency care have endured medical trauma and familial hardship themselves. Some are looking to give back. Some are desperate for family. Some were inspired by 9/11. Still others want to become doctors, nurses, firefighters, cops, and want to cut their teeth on the streets. As rescuers, they never want people to die or get hurt. But if they are going to die or get hurt, first responders want to be there.
Despite the vital role they play New York City, EMTs are paid less than trash collectors, and far less than any other first responder makes, even though the burden of medical emergencies fall on the backs of EMTs and medics. Yet for Jennifer and her brothers and sisters, it's a calling more than a job. First responders are constantly exposed to infectious diseases, violence, and death. The coronavirus pandemic did not change that math; the public is just more aware of it.
After 9/11, EMT training schools experienced a surge in applications from civilians wanting to become first responders, inspired by rescuers who responded to the terrorist attacks and rushed into the burning towers when everyone else ran out. The same will almost certainly be true post-coronavirus as people are moved by a desire to help in times of crisis in a more direct way.
Funny and heartwarming, inspiring and poignant, First Responder follows Jennifer's journey to becoming an EMT and working during and beyond the Covid-19 pandemic. She will bring readers inside an intense world filled with crisis, rescue, grief, uncertainty, and dark humor. First Responder will move readers to a greater understanding and appreciation of those fighting for them—wherever they live—in a world they hardly know or could imagine.
336 pages, Hardcover
Published April 6, 2021
23 people are currently reading
304 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
May 5, 2021
This was ok. I think it could've used more on the job stories and less descriptions of everyone's various nicknames and how every person thought the author was beautiful.
June 2, 2021
A very interesting read but also about a hundred pages too long.
April 7, 2021
This is a game changer for the first responders! A beautiful book with a powerful heart wrenching message. I am so touched by the humanity!
March 29, 2021
Evocative, searingly honest, and hilarious, this is the kind of book that hooks you right away and is impossible to put down. I loved getting the insider’s view into the world of first responders and also a view into the author’s life and psyche - she’s a legit hero.
December 30, 2020
Author Jennifer Murphy is many things. She's an award-winning writer, a private investigator, AND a volunteer EMT, which she writes about in this book.
This book lets readers experience what it was like to be in NYC during the beginnings of the Covid pandemic and beyond. As an EMT she brings us into the back of the ambulance as she lovingly tends to the injured, the mentally ill and the homeless patients who are lucky enough to have her care for them. You will be frustrated at the people who refuse to take the pandemic seriously, get sick and the fallout is left to her and other medical professionals. You will be angry at the disparity of health care in the U.S. Above all, you will be thankful for people who choose the life of a First Responder.
* I read an advance copy and was not compensated.
This book lets readers experience what it was like to be in NYC during the beginnings of the Covid pandemic and beyond. As an EMT she brings us into the back of the ambulance as she lovingly tends to the injured, the mentally ill and the homeless patients who are lucky enough to have her care for them. You will be frustrated at the people who refuse to take the pandemic seriously, get sick and the fallout is left to her and other medical professionals. You will be angry at the disparity of health care in the U.S. Above all, you will be thankful for people who choose the life of a First Responder.
* I read an advance copy and was not compensated.
January 13, 2023
“One Sunday in April [2020], out of 322 cardiac calls [in New York City], 241 patients died, a death rate of 75 percent.” Remember COVID? The book I finished reading, First Responder by Jennifer Murphy, is a memoir of this EMT’s experiences on the street with Park Slope Volunteer Ambulance Corps largely during COVID. It is a stark behind-the-scenes tour of prehospital emergency medicine that is both entertaining and disheartening.
Much of what she wrote about treating patients and navigating all the non-treatment aspects of emergency response, particularly as a volunteer, resonated with me even though her agency and my agency differ so greatly. I appreciate her respect and appreciation for emergency response: “While the street was unforgiving, wearing our boots down to their soles, it was part of us, this world. For all its worn-down atrocities, painfully slow nights, and unspeakable tragedies, the radio also dispatched magic. That’s what people didn’t understand about the street. The horrific was wed to the wondrous. It was sacred to me, being out there. Being with my partners and patients.… The ambulance infused my life with meaning. It meant the world to be part of a tribe of rescuers who went out each night to chariot the sick and injured to hospitals and act in defense of life.“ For me, sometimes I miss it and sometimes I don’t, but my time in response (and in risk reduction) is sacred.
The book is long, probably longer than it needs to be, but in those pages she embraces and shares her vulnerabilities. She writes about her friends in FDNY who died on 9/11, boyfriends, EMS partners, her actual job, and the quirkiness of responders. “The stories I acquired on the street had the potential to horrify civilians and made me feel lonely and sick if they went unshared. Not everyone on a first date wanted to hear about the baby who got hit by a car while they were sniffing aromatic wines. But first responders did. First responders would listen to anything.” Lol. At times the book reads like a detailed diary. Yet I can’t identify what I’d omit. It’s just long.
The chapters that detail the COVID period are the best because they are a raw, first-person account of the heroics and bullshittery that occurred. That was a rough period here in the Denver metro area, and took a toll on my tribe in response roles, but it was devastatingly difficult in NYC.
It definitely delivered what the subtitle promised: a memoir of life, death, and love on New York City’s front lines. I’m glad I read it.
Much of what she wrote about treating patients and navigating all the non-treatment aspects of emergency response, particularly as a volunteer, resonated with me even though her agency and my agency differ so greatly. I appreciate her respect and appreciation for emergency response: “While the street was unforgiving, wearing our boots down to their soles, it was part of us, this world. For all its worn-down atrocities, painfully slow nights, and unspeakable tragedies, the radio also dispatched magic. That’s what people didn’t understand about the street. The horrific was wed to the wondrous. It was sacred to me, being out there. Being with my partners and patients.… The ambulance infused my life with meaning. It meant the world to be part of a tribe of rescuers who went out each night to chariot the sick and injured to hospitals and act in defense of life.“ For me, sometimes I miss it and sometimes I don’t, but my time in response (and in risk reduction) is sacred.
The book is long, probably longer than it needs to be, but in those pages she embraces and shares her vulnerabilities. She writes about her friends in FDNY who died on 9/11, boyfriends, EMS partners, her actual job, and the quirkiness of responders. “The stories I acquired on the street had the potential to horrify civilians and made me feel lonely and sick if they went unshared. Not everyone on a first date wanted to hear about the baby who got hit by a car while they were sniffing aromatic wines. But first responders did. First responders would listen to anything.” Lol. At times the book reads like a detailed diary. Yet I can’t identify what I’d omit. It’s just long.
The chapters that detail the COVID period are the best because they are a raw, first-person account of the heroics and bullshittery that occurred. That was a rough period here in the Denver metro area, and took a toll on my tribe in response roles, but it was devastatingly difficult in NYC.
It definitely delivered what the subtitle promised: a memoir of life, death, and love on New York City’s front lines. I’m glad I read it.
September 28, 2021
This is a non-fiction, autobiographical work about a woman (Jennifer) who earns her living hunting bad guys on the Internet. She rides as an EMT with a volunteer ambulance service in an area of NYC called Park Slope. This book follows her as she goes through EMT training, does her initial tours as an EMT and eventually develops into a highly competent rescuer. The book has several threads. One is the large variety of medical emergencies she responds to from lost Alzheimer’s patients to stabbing victims. Another is her growing competence at and preference for providing emotional support and love to patients rather than administering first aid. The book also explores in depth the emotional support provided by Jennifer to (and to Jennifer by) her fellow EMTs, the firemen she works with and the police officers with whom she frequently interacts.
As a fellow volunteer first responder I found the medical side of this book quite interesting but a bit short on details for my taste. The author’s professional life was woven in nicely and treated with appropriate detail. However, I felt that the discussion of the personal relationships with her fellow responders and the emotional support provided by and to the author was heavy-handed and extremely repetitive. I think the author is trying to make this the underlying theme of her experience as a first responder but she could have done it a lot more gracefully. Three and a half stars.
As a fellow volunteer first responder I found the medical side of this book quite interesting but a bit short on details for my taste. The author’s professional life was woven in nicely and treated with appropriate detail. However, I felt that the discussion of the personal relationships with her fellow responders and the emotional support provided by and to the author was heavy-handed and extremely repetitive. I think the author is trying to make this the underlying theme of her experience as a first responder but she could have done it a lot more gracefully. Three and a half stars.
May 16, 2023
I really enjoyed the topics covered in this book (politics of healthcare, NYC history, emergency health provision), but the writing was not amazing. Lots of weird social relationships that didn't add anything to the story, and inconsistent themes. The author also mentioned how all her coworkers and fellow first responders tell her how beautiful and lovely and special she is which is a bit much, but I am glad her peers like her!
September 19, 2021
The twin stories of Patrick Brown, an FDNY captain lost on 9/11 but who lived on in the lives of so many he touched and one of those people, Jennifer Murphy’s career as an EMT. Murphy is a crisis investigator and communications professional who first rode transport before volunteering with Park Slope through the first six months of the COVID crisis. This is also the story of the complicated relationship with EMTs, their poor salaries vs other first responders and their role in the diversity of the city’s first responders.
This is more than an EMT story though, it’s the story of life, love and all kinds of loss culminating in Patrick’s brother Michael dying of 9/11 related cancer in the fall of 2020. Before that though, we get the story of Murphy and Ylfa, EMS Chick and Duck, and their beautiful relationship with Mike. We also get some amusing stories of Murphy’s love life-or lack thereof- as she navigates dating those who won’t meet in person until, accidentally, the eve of the shutdown, or whose politics are diametrically opposed to hers.
There are some familiar faces in this book - writer Michael Daly for one and actor Bobby Burke for another - but especially in the second half of this book, this is the story of every New Yorker who lived through Covid 19, the George Floyd protests and the unrelenting circus of the Trump administration.
Bought this earlier this summer and the decision to read it the week of the twentieth anniversary wasn’t a conscious one, but it felt right
This is more than an EMT story though, it’s the story of life, love and all kinds of loss culminating in Patrick’s brother Michael dying of 9/11 related cancer in the fall of 2020. Before that though, we get the story of Murphy and Ylfa, EMS Chick and Duck, and their beautiful relationship with Mike. We also get some amusing stories of Murphy’s love life-or lack thereof- as she navigates dating those who won’t meet in person until, accidentally, the eve of the shutdown, or whose politics are diametrically opposed to hers.
There are some familiar faces in this book - writer Michael Daly for one and actor Bobby Burke for another - but especially in the second half of this book, this is the story of every New Yorker who lived through Covid 19, the George Floyd protests and the unrelenting circus of the Trump administration.
Bought this earlier this summer and the decision to read it the week of the twentieth anniversary wasn’t a conscious one, but it felt right
June 20, 2025
Meh. It could have been so much better without all the political rhetoric. It definitely needed editing and it was getting tiresome how lovely and beautiful and TALL she is. We got that in part 1 throughout all 5 chapters. There’s 4 more parts! It could get very repetitive but there are good aspects to the book. Very few interesting stories and background-being an EMT myself, I could relate to a bit but again, I wish there wasn’t so much misinformation (mainly personal opinion that really has nothing to do with being a first responder-your job is to save lives not insert your politics)-the book is a biography but not solely based in Emergency Medicine.
The blatant narcissistic dialogue throughout the biography is solely about the author and not necessarily inclusive of a First Responder, EMT or Paramedic. It’s a slog to get through this book. Can’t say how many times I eye rolled with “this again?” in my head. Now I know why this book was in the bargain bin at the library. Save yourself time and energy. The very few interesting aspects of the book aren’t enough compensation for the time you spend dragging reading this. I feel like I have to keep editing this review because there is so much misinformation being thrown about especially with COVID. It’s so biased and her “recollections” don’t actually line up with the truth. I can’t hate this book enough and feel really disgusted having spent so much time hoping that there was something there to redeem the time spent. But nope. Save yourself. Hard pass. I’ll do my bit and throw it in the trash to spare anyone from grabbing this book from the bargain bin like I did. And she literally hates America, cops, firefighters and anyone that doesn’t worship her or have the same political opinions... So I hope she’s moved to another country by now.
The blatant narcissistic dialogue throughout the biography is solely about the author and not necessarily inclusive of a First Responder, EMT or Paramedic. It’s a slog to get through this book. Can’t say how many times I eye rolled with “this again?” in my head. Now I know why this book was in the bargain bin at the library. Save yourself time and energy. The very few interesting aspects of the book aren’t enough compensation for the time you spend dragging reading this. I feel like I have to keep editing this review because there is so much misinformation being thrown about especially with COVID. It’s so biased and her “recollections” don’t actually line up with the truth. I can’t hate this book enough and feel really disgusted having spent so much time hoping that there was something there to redeem the time spent. But nope. Save yourself. Hard pass. I’ll do my bit and throw it in the trash to spare anyone from grabbing this book from the bargain bin like I did. And she literally hates America, cops, firefighters and anyone that doesn’t worship her or have the same political opinions... So I hope she’s moved to another country by now.
September 28, 2025
Thank you for betting the house.
Jennifer Murphy casts a wide net and delivers on what it means, feels, and looks like to be a "First Responder". Murphy's experience is uniquely her own navigating all facets of her life in her decision process to become a crisis manager, EMT, and now writer all within New York City during this past formative decade encompassing the COVID pandemic 2019-2021, the global protests after George Floyd's May 2020 murder, the rise of gun violence, and our dismal mental health landscape; but also the lingering wake of 9/11/2001.
I appreciate the candor and transparent opinions of Murphy throughout the aforementioned milestones as well as on the minute details within the 9-1-1 realm such as the ubiquitous gallows humor, the stillness and excitement that exist within anticipation, as well as close connections between Responders both organic and as a result of trauma-bonding.
Jennifer Murphy casts a wide net and delivers on what it means, feels, and looks like to be a "First Responder". Murphy's experience is uniquely her own navigating all facets of her life in her decision process to become a crisis manager, EMT, and now writer all within New York City during this past formative decade encompassing the COVID pandemic 2019-2021, the global protests after George Floyd's May 2020 murder, the rise of gun violence, and our dismal mental health landscape; but also the lingering wake of 9/11/2001.
I appreciate the candor and transparent opinions of Murphy throughout the aforementioned milestones as well as on the minute details within the 9-1-1 realm such as the ubiquitous gallows humor, the stillness and excitement that exist within anticipation, as well as close connections between Responders both organic and as a result of trauma-bonding.
August 6, 2021
If you’re looking for a first-hand look at what it’s like to be an EMT or first-responder, this is the book for you. This was a fantastic read about Murphy’s experiences in emergency first-response care on the front lines in New York City. Murphy’s writing is super approachable and it makes this an incredibly fast read.
I thought it was equally compelling to hear from a female EMT in a male-dominated field. Her experiences were unique and I felt invested in her journey.
There is also a fair amount of history peppered in, which I found interesting overall.
As a person who serves on the board of directors of a rescue squad and who works with our campus rescue squad, this was a really important and engaging read. I recommend it for anyone who enjoys a good memoir or who wants to learn more about the lives of first responders.
I thought it was equally compelling to hear from a female EMT in a male-dominated field. Her experiences were unique and I felt invested in her journey.
There is also a fair amount of history peppered in, which I found interesting overall.
As a person who serves on the board of directors of a rescue squad and who works with our campus rescue squad, this was a really important and engaging read. I recommend it for anyone who enjoys a good memoir or who wants to learn more about the lives of first responders.
April 8, 2021
Jennifer Murphy not only saves people’s life by being first on the scene, as an EMT, she also writes her heart out. This is a profoundly important book of our time. Hilarious and heart breaking, the outpouring of the voices from the streets, the ones on the frontlines, their love for each other and everyone they help, is a sorely needed balm for our time. There is a force of Love in this book, that is palpable. I want everyone to read this book!
May 1, 2021
If you live in New York City, you will see things very differently after reading this book. Intense and moving, this is the true story of Emergency Medical Technicians working the streets of New York City during the pandemic seen by a woman who was on the frontlines. It reads like a novel that's hard to put down. Taut action and excellent detail are amplified by the narrator's deeply felt emotion.
July 17, 2024
I’m bouncing back and forth between 4 and 5 stars and may change it later. Really emotional and touching book about being an EMT in NYC post 9/11 and during COVID. I LOVED and really related to a lot of the parts where she talked about patient care and how much it meant to her but also the underlying storylines of her relationships with other first responders were so so touching. Really good read with a super sad ending.
July 12, 2021
It’s a shame about this book. The author is capable of writing suspenseful, action-packed and often hilarious accounts of her experiences as an EMT in New York City. Unfortunately this happens on fewer than half of the pages. Too many uninteresting digressions about the history of emergency services, etc. Also, lots of repetitiveness. Maybe a more aggressive editor could have saved this book.
September 13, 2021
This is my first book about first responders and it was very interesting. I really enjoyed Jennifer's writing style: raw and funny. I might agree with other comments, the book could have been edited to half its size. Still worth reading the book though!
Thank you Jennifer Murphy for your dedication to EMTs and being so brave in time when it was so hard for many people.
Thank you Jennifer Murphy for your dedication to EMTs and being so brave in time when it was so hard for many people.
January 25, 2022
Although in my line of work, I live in and around the pandemic and illness (I'm an RN), I found it refreshing to read it from the vantage point of a different healthcare hero. Very bold and honest work. Gives me a great insight into the EMT/paramedic world that can be appreciated during our line of work.
May 29, 2021
This book could have benefited from chopping out some of the detours. It felt way too long for the length it was. There were enough gems to make me want to continue, but I skim-read far more than the author would have liked.
January 3, 2022
A very visual story of how life is as an NYC first responder during the pandemic. Jennifer’s writing was down-to-earth and sprinkled with healthy doses of humour amid a horrific time. Definitely recommend for a front-row seat to the life of a first responder!
December 6, 2025
this book had potential but it took me a month to get through it. i picked up the book for the crazy on-the-job stories but that was like 1/10th it. also super political for no reason 😔 the story about her friend with cancer was quite inspirational so that brought my rating up
July 17, 2023
interesting but wayyy too fuckiny long
October 23, 2023
4.5 stars
February 16, 2025
This book starts out incredibly strong. Murphy's life story is beautifully written and compels the reader to want to become active instead of passive within their own lives. I picked up this book because I have always wanted to know more about EMT's and for the first half this book fulfilled that desire and more!
However, in the second half her story becomes consumed by COVID-19, which is reasonable given the publication date, but makes the story less interesting page by page. Murphy has a very nice writing style which sometimes borders on egotistical but is still generally captivating for readers.
However, in the second half her story becomes consumed by COVID-19, which is reasonable given the publication date, but makes the story less interesting page by page. Murphy has a very nice writing style which sometimes borders on egotistical but is still generally captivating for readers.
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