The Real Streets Behind the Novel

A look back at the years I spent as a paramedic — the calls, the chaos, the quiet moments, and the work that shaped the world of First, Do No Harm.

A vehicle has overturned and lies on its side on a snow-covered street, blocking traffic. There is a yellow and black warning light on top of a nearby vehicle. A blue traffic sign indicates lane restrictions.
A person lying on a hospital gurney inside an ambulance, wearing a white shirt and navy pants, with their head turned to the side and feet resting on the footrest.
A police officer in a white uniform and glasses, wearing gloves, working with a serious expression outside a police vehicle, with trees and parking lot in the background.
A group of people wearing red T-shirts with 'CO-3 MAT' printed on the back, walking outdoors on a sunny day near a stone wall and trees.
Red T-shirt with bold white text that reads "CO-3 D-1 MAT"
Car crash scene with a severely damaged gray car crashed into a pole, emergency responders and firefighters attending to the situation, with fire trucks in the background.
Group of emergency medical responders, including a person in a white jacket labeled 'Denver Medics,' gathered around a bicycle at night, with a tree decorated with green lights in the background.
Three men smiling, two in white shirts holding framed certificates and one in a police uniform standing in the middle, against a dark blue background.
Firefighters rescuing a person from a car accident involving a silver vehicle that crashed into a pole, with a firefighter's helmet placed on top of the car.
An emergency medical services vehicle is parked on the left side. In the background, a person is sitting on a chair with another person standing nearby against a brick wall. There is a large green dumpster overflowing with trash next to a bright blue
A dark-colored BMW car crashed into a bush on the side of the road, with visible front-end damage. Emergency responders are present at the scene during nighttime.
Underground parking garage filled with ambulance vehicles, including several parked in rows to the right and a few on the left side, with ceiling lights illuminating the space.
Inside view of a car showing the front passenger seat with beige seat cover, crumpled tissue paper on the seat, black shift lever, and dashboard controls.
Emergency vehicles with flashing lights stopped on the side of a highway, with traffic moving in both directions and a cityscape in the background.
Blurry image of an emergency vehicle with flashing lights on a city street at night, with other vehicles and streetlights.
A white vehicle has sustained severe front-end damage in a crash, with the hood crumpled and the windshield shattered. The interior is visible through the open door, showing deployed airbags and disarray.
A white and orange emergency vehicle with the words 'POWER PARAMEDICS' on the hood, crashed into a tree, with a silver car damaged in front of it.
Emergency responders in rescue gear are assisting with a car accident at a river. Some are on a ladder leaning from the riverbank, while others are in the water near a damaged vehicle. The scene is overcast, with leafless trees and a road bridge in t
A Denver paramedic rescue truck lies on its side blocking a residential street in a suburban neighborhood with brick houses and leafless trees.
A car accident scene in a residential neighborhood at dusk with three damaged cars, a white pickup truck, an older beige car, and a silver car, and a person in a white shirt inspecting the scene.
A busy highway with multiple lanes of cars and trucks, some police vehicles with flashing lights, and an overpass in the background under a cloudy sky.
Nighttime scene of emergency vehicles with flashing lights on a road, with other cars nearby and city lights in the background.
Multiple police cars with flashing lights are stopped on a highway, blocking traffic. In the background, there is a city skyline with tall buildings and a bridge over the highway.
Multiple ambulances with flashing emergency lights driving on a multi-lane highway with city buildings in the background.
Hospital emergency center entrance with red neon signs reading 'Over Emergency Center' and 'Ambulance Ent'.
Underground parking garage with multiple Denver paramedic ambulances parked on both sides of a central lane, illuminated by overhead fluorescent lights.
A Denver Paramedics ambulance parked inside a building or parking garage.
Emergency ambulance vehicle with flashing lights parked indoors.
Front view of a Denver Paramedics ambulance with flashing red and blue lights in a garage.
A Denver ambulance parked in a parking lot with painted lines and other vehicles in the background.
Emergency rescue team members attend to a person trapped in a vehicle, performing a rescue operation.
Paramedic emblem with a blue star of life and a caduceus in the center, reading 'City and County of Denver'.
Small scooter with a large metal box on the back labeled 'PARAMEDICS' and 'DOVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT' parked indoors on carpeted floor.
An ambulance from Denver Paramedics has crashed into a tree on the side of the road, with damage to its front. The ambulance is parked on a grassy area next to a sidewalk, with a large brick house and bare trees in the background.
The interior of an ambulance with medical equipment, including a stretcher, shelves, and emergency tools, visible inside.
Several emergency vehicles, including fire trucks and an ambulance, are parked on a city street with trees and buildings in the background.
Emergency ambulance vehicle parked outside during a hailstorm, viewed through a window.
An emergency medical services vehicle on its side on a residential street, with trees and houses in the background, and snow on the ground.
A person in camouflage clothing and a helmet standing on a grassy area, holding a wired device, with construction equipment and parked cars in the background.
A soldier stands on a grassy lawn wearing camouflage uniform and helmet, while construction equipment such as bulldozers and a backhoe dig near a building under construction in the background.
Close-up of a person's uniform shoulder with a patch displaying a mountain and the words 'Denver Parks and Div' inside a blue circle.