The 10th Annual EMS Holiday Gift Guide

Seasons Greetings everyone and welcome to EMS Magazine's 10th Annual Holiday Gift Guide. When we started this a decade ago it was the result of searching for just the right gifts for both our personal family and extended work "families" of rescuers and rescuers-to-be. Along with our own nieces, nephews and grandchildren, Vicki and I have literally dozens of "almost" nieces and nephews as well, so field testing our gift ideas is never a problem.

Toys for the Pre-School Rescuer-to Be

As always, let us begin with some suggestions for those young rescuers-to-be, as that is a large part of what holiday gift giving is about. That and sharing love, respect, and mentorship, as well as fanning interests and stimulating young minds.

Let's begin with toys and play sets. If you're looking for EMT dress up costumes, go to Roberts or Galls. They have costumes, jackets, helmets and accessories for EMS, fire suppression and law enforcement, all at fairly reasonable prices plus S&H.

Next up is a set of 6 hand-painted, wooden emergency vehicles that come in their own house-shaped case. They are marketed as Wooden Rescue Vehicles by Melissa and Doug. The set includes a fire truck, a fire engine, a fire boat, an ambulance, a police car and a rescue helicopter. The set sells for between $15 and $20 depending on where you purchase it. And yes, this play set is made in China.

For very young EMTs to be, ages 2 and up, there is Chelona's Ambulance City Peg Puzzle. This is your basic simple wooden puzzle set with pegs in each of the pieces of a suburban home with an ambulance prominently parked in front of it. It lists for $11.40 at Amazon.com.

How about stickers, whether for the young or for that EMS scrap-booker in your life? The folks at EK Sticko Stickers have created two different sets that are available from $1.09 to $3.29 from multiple sources including Amazon.com or Create For less. Check them out on Create For Less's web page.

There are several wooden ambulance play sets out there, ranging from an individual two medic crew carrying a patient on a litter (from Hape International for $3.99) to entire EMS and hospital play sets. The folks at Woody Click seem to have the widest variety from an individual ambulance for $6.49 to an entire play set in a box for $79.97, all at Amazon.com.

During one late-night search of the net for rescue toys I came across a unique item, a set of 4 Emergency Rescue Squad Puppets. Developed by Pretend and Play, the set of 4 puppets, two male and two female, includes a firefighter, a paramedic, a police officer and a doctor. Available from $10.91 to $35 depending on where you purchase it. Available at Amazon.com. .

Toys for the School-Age Rescuer-to-Be

For older children and those fans of the GI Joe 12-inch action figures or Barbie, the folks at America's Finest, a company that makes mostly 12-inch military action figures, have come out with a female EMT action figure complete with several accessories. She is available from various sources but I found the lowest price at Amazon.com for $22.99 and at the time of this writing, Amazon was also offering free S&H on all of their toys. Check it out at Amazon.com.

How about a squad or service present for your local school or playground? One option is an ambulance-shaped single riding toy set on a giant spring, which is bolted into a concrete block in the ground. You've seen them before, usually in the shape of various animals. Well this one I came across at Amazon.com is an ambulance that the youngster sits on top of. It lists for $834.99 so this is more of a squad or service gift/project rather than something for individuals, but well worth checking out at Amazon.com.

Books for Kids