Gail Larkin was one of the first female paramedics in New York City and has dedicated her entire professional career to the field of EMS as a healthcare provider, patient advocate and educator. She began her EMS journey in 1975 with Volunteer Heart Ambulance in Staten Island. And was later hired by the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation EMS, quickly becoming a Paramedic. She then went on to teach at the NYC EMS Academy. Gail also worked as a paramedic at several hospital-based EMS agencies, including Cabrini Medical Center, New York Presbyterian, St. Vincent’s Medical Center of Staten Island, Long Island College Hospital and Staten Island University Hospital South. She also spent many years writing about Emergency Medical Services both for healthcare professionals and the general public. Over the past forty years, she authored many chapters and articles in EMS textbooks and journals. She also had recurring columns in both local and regional newspapers. She recently published a memoir, ‘What We Carry: A New York Paramedic’s Story’.
Gail has dedicated over forty years to improving the lives of others, and has taken her passion for EMS and infused it into countless EMT and paramedic students throughout her career, always reminding them to never take their roles for granted. She instills compassion into future EMS providers throughout her lectures, writings, and skills sessions.
In 2013, Gail became the lead instructor for a new college-based paramedic program at Kingsborough Community College. Her attention to detail throughout her lesson plans and lectures was outstanding and led to the program’s CAAHEP accreditation making KBCC the first and only college-based paramedic program in Brooklyn. Due to her constant commitment to the field of EMS. Gail received a Proclamation (2015) and Citation (2016) from the Office of the Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, as a testament to her outstanding efforts as a paramedic and an EMS educator.