The short history of EMS has been driven by the wisdom, foresight, and innovation of countless individuals. As the field ages into its second half-century and its origins fade to the past, it’s worth commemorating the greatest pioneers of prehospital emergency medical services. This series honors these trailblazers.
William Kouwenhoven, Guy Knickerbocker, and James Jude
Developers of defibrillation, closed-chest massage
In the history of emergency resuscitation, EMS students well know the names of early pioneers like Pantridge and Safar. But their efforts were preceded by the even more foundational work of those who made the initial forays into electrical therapy and the chest manipulation techniques that helped lead to CPR. Coming together at Johns Hopkins in the mid-20th century, William Kouwenhoven, Guy Knickerbocker, and James Jude were among those key contributors.