10 of the Best EMT Audiobooks

Finding the Best EMT Audiobooks can be a struggle. Although we’ve written previously about the Best EMT Textbooks, there are plenty of other non-textbook options for reading about EMS. Read our list of the best EMS books here. Reading is such an important part of our EMS continuing education, and due to the nature of our work, audiobooks can be a great way to fit more books into your lifestyle.

Whether you’re looking for an EMT Audiobook or a Paramedic Audiobook, you can find a comprehensive list of the Best EMS Audiobooks below.

BONUS TIP: We recommend Audible to find and listen to the best EMS audiobooks (as well as other genres!). They have a great deal where if you sign up for a free trial, you can grab yourself a free audiobook! The best part is, you can cancel the free trial before you get billed, and still keep the audiobook!

Here’s the 10 Best EMT Audiobooks:

Use the table of contents below, or scroll on for the full article.

1. Gutter Medicine – Six Years as a Firefighter Paramedic

Gutter Medicine is, in our opinion, the Best EMT Audiobook. Written by Roger Huder, and Narrated by Tom Jordan, the book recounts the 26 years that Roger spent as a Firefighter/Paramedic.

This real-life and authentic account of working on the streets as a medic gives an incredibly detailed insight into EMS, and can prove itself as both useful and entertaining.

This is a great Paramedic Audiobook, and highly recommended for anyone either already in EMS, or for those wishing to become an EMT.

2. Confessions of a Trauma Junkie: My life as a Nurse Paramedic

Confessions of a Trauma Junkie is a popular Paramedic Audiobook by Sherry Lynn Jones and Narrated by Kristine M Bowen, and has easily made the list of the Best EMT Audiobooks.

If you’re looking for an EMS Audiobook with raw detail and emotion about experiences in EMS, then look no further. Sherry has worked as an EMT, ER Nurse, Prison Health Practitioner and an on-scene critical incident debriefer.

Throughout this audiobook, you’ll hear first-hand accounts of medical emergencies, and the toll it takes on the responders and caregivers. Whether you’re a seasoned EMS veteran, or just getting started in EMS, this EMT Audiobook has life lessons for us all.

3. Hard Roll: A Paramedic’s Perspective of Life and Death in New Orleans

Hard Roll tells the perspective of Jon McCarthy in this gripping Paramedic Audiobook.

Working in New Orleans, known as one of the most dangerous cities in America, Jon recounts his extensive career in EMS.

This makes the list of one of the best EMT Audiobooks because it brings together a vast wealth of experience in an entertaining way. A great EMS Audiobook for experienced medics, and newbies just getting started.

4. Fighting for Your Life: A Paramedic’s Story

Fighting for your life details the real-life accounts of Lysa Walder, who has worked as a Paramedic with the London Ambulance Service for over 20 years.

This Paramedic Audiobook easily makes the list of the best EMT Audiobooks as there are many lessons that can be learned from the detailed experienced.

For American readers, this EMS Audiobook also provides a thorough insight into EMS Abroad, and some differences between the EMS system in the US, vs in London.

5. The Rescuer: One Firefighter’s story of Courage, Darkness, and the Relentless Love That Saved Him

The Rescuer details the experiences of Jason Sautel working as a firefighter, as he encountered situations that were incredibly stressful and traumatic.

Following a serious of traumatic emergency calls, Jason was driven deeper in to depression.

The story then takes a turn from Jason saving others, to needing to be saved. Ultimately this is a real life love story, with raw emotion and life experiences.

Talking about the ways we process and deal with the trauma we see is important, and although this is a Christian story, it has plenty of lessons to be learned by those who are not religious, or subscribe to other beliefs – making this a great EMT Audiobook.

6. Blood, Sweat, Tears and Prayers: Firefighting and EMS from some of the Toughest Streets in America

Blood, Sweat, Tears and Prayers recounts the real-life stories of Gary Ludwig, who has over 37 years of experience as a Firefighter/Paramedic.

This Paramedic Audiobook really puts things in perspective – even for seasoned EMS and Firefighting veterans. The words within this EMS Audiobook really resonate, and the Gary’s experiences are filled with some valuable life-lessons for us.

We chose Blood, Sweat, Tears and Prayers as one of the best EMT Audiobooks because it’s both extremely accurate, and emotional, encouraging us to reach out to each other in difficult times, as one united EMS Family.

7. The Dark Side: Real Life Accounts of an NHS Paramedic

The Dark Side presents the good, the bad and the downright ugly moments of EMS in Britain’s Ambulance Service. This Paramedic Audiobook was easy to select as one of the best EMT Audiobooks because of it’s realism, accuracy and learning experiences.

The cases discussed, although deidentified, are based on the official case notes in order to keep the details as accurate as possible.

Although discussing real life events, this EMS Audiobook is also extremely entertaining, and a valuable listen for anyone in EMS, or for those considering EMS as a career.

8. Wild Rescues: A Paramedic’s Extreme Adventures in Yosemite, Yellowstone, and Grand Teton

Wild Rescues recounts the adventures of Kevin Grange, a Paramedic working in the remote wilderness of Yosemite, Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. This Paramedic Audiobook is both entertaining and educational, especially those considering a career in wilderness medicine/EMS.

This is a great EMT Audiobook, especially those working in city environments that are not exposed to wilderness care or working in remote areas.

9. Trauma Room Two

Trauma Room Two recounts the experiences of Dr Phillip Allen Green, MD working as an ER Physician and dealing with a variety of emergency situations.

This collection of short stories from the ER is a great EMT Audiobook as it offers a unique insight into what happened to our patients after we hand them over to the ER staff.

We are too often removed from the car provided in the ER, so having a good understanding of how this step in the chain of survival is vital to being good providers. This EMS Audiobook is a great way to further your education and understanding, especially those considering further education to become a nurse or physician.

10. Lights and Sirens: The Education of a Paramedic

Lights and Sirens details the education of a Paramedic, and the critical jobs that they perform.

This EMS Audiobook is a great listen, especially for EMTs considering furthering their education to the Paramedic Level. It’s also a valuable Paramedic Audiobook for those considering a career in EMS.

Why listen to EMS Audiobooks?

We’ve already established that you can learn a lot from reading EMS Textbooks, but other EMS books (And EMS Audiobooks) are also valuable learning tools, not to mention the entertainment value that they provide.

While we understand that reading books is such a valuable way to improve our education, finding time to read a good amount of books when we work in EMS can be challenging.

Depending on the area and service you work in, you may have more spare time than others, or you may be working back-to-back calls throughout the entire shift. Either way, EMT audiobooks represent a great way to make books fit in your lifestyle. You can listen to them while you drive to and from shifts, or even to listen to while you’re on shift with a great pair of wireless earphones.

Paramedic Audiobooks can also be listened to as a group, perhaps in-between calls at the station. Of course many people prefer reading/listening to audiobooks as a more personal thing, so you don’t have to wait for other group members to be present before getting through the rest of the book.

Ultimately, if you’re looking for a way to read more books, then these EMS Audiobooks are the best way of doing it!

What do I need to listen to an EMT Audiobook?

Lucky for you, all you really need is a smart phone, a good set of headphones, and some time. (The ability to hear is also an obvious necessity!)

Let’s start with the smart phone, pretty much any modern smart phone is more than capable of running an app like Audible. This goes for both iPhones and Androids. Personally, I’m a fan of androids, and use a Samsung Galaxy S21+. You can use any smart phone, of course – there’s no need to have the latest and greatest for this!

When it comes to the headphones though, you really do want to invest a little extra money into getting a decent pair.

I opted to get the Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus. They’re wireless, with good battery life, making them perfect when listing to the Best EMT Audiobooks.

Another huge advantage of these wireless headphones is that they also have a microphone built in, and can give you a live-feed of the sound around you while you are listening to your new Paramedic Audiobook. This is a great feature to ensure you don’t miss out on any conversation, alerts or radio calls if you’re listening to an EMS Audiobook while on shift. (You can also turn this feature off for when you want to cut out all the outside noise.)

For all of you iPhone users, you can either use the Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus, or buy the Apple AirPods Pro.

Moving right along to the time component; if you work shifts in EMS, you can either use your time off shift, or your time on shift to listen to EMS Audiobooks. This decision will come down to personal preference, departmental policy, workplace environment & how busy you are throughout your shift.

I find that when on standby I have plenty of time to listen to a good EMT Audiobook, but we’re all different – you just have to find a time that works best for you. I also love to listen to Paramedic Audiobooks while doing household chores.

As a bonus tip, exercise is important for EMT’s and Paramedics, and listening to an EMT Audiobook while exercising can be a great way to fit more books into your life.