Paramedic T-shirts are a great way to tell people what you do if you're a professional, and an even greater way to show people what you respect if you do something else for a living. EMTs save lives. That's their job. It couldn't be simpler. They deserve all the gratitude and appreciation the rest of us can shower upon them. Paramedic T-shirts are just one way of saying thanks.

Paramedic T-shirts and "Emergency!"

The paramedic response we're used to today is a relatively recent arrival. In Los Angeles, a stand-alone, city-run EMT program didn't come into existence until July 1, 1969. At Harbor General Hospital, a small squad of firefighters trained in medical care became a "Heart Rescue Unit," headquartered at the hospital. The primary goal was to stem the tide of heart attack deaths by getting to heart attack victims quickly with expert medical care.

Using an old Plymouth station wagon repainted red, Squad 59 started saving lives within days of setting up shop. Clement Demuth was resuscitated after choking in a restaurant and going into cardiac arrest. The paramedic program soon grew quickly. Squad 36 in the City of Carson was the next paramedic unit on board.

With the popular TV show, "Emergency!" paramedic programs like those in L.A. began to spread from Los Angeles to the rest of the country, and the system we have in place today was born. We owe more to actor Randolph Mantooth than we ever may have thought possible.