EMS Magazine’s 6th Annual Holiday Gift Guide

Season’s greetings, everyone! Vicki and I, along with the staff of EMS Magazine, have searched far and wide to assemble the following list of possibilities for this year’s 6th Annual Holiday Gift Guide. We hope they are helpful in finding the right gift for that rescuer or rescuer-to-be in your life.

As always, let’s begin with suggestions for those young rescuers-to-be. They are our future, and they are what holiday gift giving is about.

The folks at Fisher-Price have added a new item to their See ’n Say line, the Teach ’n Roll Fire Truck for ages 18 months and up.

This is a sturdy fire truck with wheels that actually roll. When the wheels are in motion, they activate flashing lights, music and a cute voice that says things like, “Hello! Let’s hit the road!” There’s also a dial in the center with images of an ambulance, fire engine, police car, fire boat, rescue helicopter and tow truck. When the arrow is pointed to the emergency vehicle and pushed, the vehicle is identified by name, and a sound effect is given, followed by a brief explanation of what the vehicle does.

All in all, a pretty good toy, with no pieces to lose or misplace, for around $10.

Teach ’n Roll Fire Truck from Fisher-Price, item #B7590, www.fisher-price.com. $7.99.

Moving on to ages four and up, the folks at Constructive Playthings are offering an ambulance play set that includes an 11" by 5½" ambulance with flashing lights and an electronic siren. What makes this set unique is that it comes with male and female EMT/paramedic figures, a pediatric patient, a gurney, a backboard with head blocks, jump kits with various pieces of equipment, a heart monitor and more—15 pieces in all. One of the set’s most popular figures, the folks at Constructive Playthings say, is the rescue/medic dog with its own rescue equipment.

For helping teach children what to expect if an ambulance is called or just for sparking their imagination about how mom or dad do their job, this is one pretty cool play set.

Electronic Ambulance and Rescue Team from Constructive Playthings, item #LON-60L, www.constplay.com; 800/832-0572. $24.99 plus S&H.

Looking for something job-related that can keep your youngsters occupied on a road trip? Check out Magnetic Rescue 911, a fire-scene set available from Lee Publications. The set contains more than 45 magnetic pieces in a 6" by 8½" tin that opens to reveal a fireground scene. Youngsters can place various pieces that include fire apparatus, an ambulance, firefighters, EMTs, bystanders, news reporters and pieces of equipment. There are also a pair of cardboard inserts to change the setting to the inside of a fire station. With a little imagination, little ones can draw their own scenes for the box or put them up on the refrigerator to use with the magnetic pieces.

Magnetic Rescue 911 from Lee Publications, www.leemagicpen.com, ISBN 1-56297-349-5. $9.99.

If that special someone on your list happens to be into 12" action figures, you’re in luck. The folks at Hasbro, makers of GI Joe, have developed the GI Joe Action Rescue figure line. Each figure is available in Caucasian, African-American and, with certain figures, a Latino version as well. Figures start at $15 and include: Emergency Crash Rescue, Fire Rescue, Navy Crash Rescue, Rope Rescue Firefighter (including a Stokes basket, rigging and harness) and several others. (There are also several law enforcement GI Joes.) The figures are available through most toy stores, or you can visit the official GI Joe website.

GI Joe Action Rescue figures from Hasbro, www.hasbro.com/gijoe/defau lt.cfm. $14.99–$24.99.

If you’re looking for something a little less expensive and are not hung up on brand names, I found a series of 6" movable firefighter rescue figures at our local Dollar Tree store. There are six different firefighter/medic figures with various accessories, from medical gear and a shovel (haven’t quite made the connection for that one yet) to a hose and hydrant to a grappling hook and other rescue/suppression stuff. Six figures in all, at a buck apiece.