A Friend is Gone: James O. Page

Jim Page, Publisher Emeritus of JEMS Magazine and one of the EMS profession’s foremost leaders, died suddenly while swimming in Carlsbad, CA, on September 4. The loss of this extraordinary man will be felt heavily by all who knew him. Jim was a well-respected colleague and, in the early days of EMS Magazine, a good friend. It is not commonly known, or perhaps remembered, by many that between 1972, when EMS Magazine was founded, and 1979, when Jim started JEMS Magazine, he wrote numerous opinion pieces and columns for EMS; during the same time he worked as technical consultant and writer for the Emergency! television series. He and I had many entertaining and spirited discussions about the current and future state of EMS.

When Jim told me that he was leaving us to start JEMS, I wished him Godspeed and good luck. In the following years, and as his editorial vision took his magazine to high levels of professionalism and importance, we became active competitors, and I believe that very competitiveness helped both magazines to clearly establish their identities and achieve their goals.

Over the last few years, as Jim’s activities and interests moved in new directions, and he began what was, in essence, his fifth or ninth or twelfth career, as a founding partner in Page, Wolfberg and Wirth, our relationship all but ceased, and I think I saw and spoke with Jim only once or twice. I missed our sometimes prickly chats, but times and involvements had changed for Jim, and he was on to other things—always, in some manner, involved with EMS, which was the focus of his life.

James O. Page remains today one of the seminal influences in EMS, one of its largest personalities, one of its most generous teachers, one of its best representatives, and one of the most energetic and engaging people around. His contributions to the field are legion. He will be remembered and honored by those who knew him, and admired by those who never had the chance and yet benefit from his time on earth. He was a big man in stature, intellect and heart. It is an honor and a privilege to have known and worked with him. We extend our condolences to Jim’s family and to all of us involved in EMS. He will be missed.