When Randolph Mantooth stood to address Senators and Congressmen in Washington DC at the 12th Annual Meeting of the Congressional Fire Services Institute in May 2000, he knew he had come a long way from his first professional speaking engagement in Galveston, Texas in 1982. As official spokesperson for the non-profit Project 51 Corporation’s national tour, Randy delivered one of the most noteworthy speeches of his career before members of the CFSI, the administrative arm of the Congressional Fire Service Caucus, the largest caucus of the U.S. Senate.

Just days later, on May 16, on the National Mall, Randy once again had the distinct honor of speaking on behalf of EMS and Firefighting professionals on one of the most momentous occasions in the history of Emergency Medical Services.

People had traveled to our nation’s capital from all over the country to help commemorate the induction of the television series “Emergency!” into the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. The prestigious recognition paid homage to the show’s unprecedented contribution in propelling the oft-resisted paramedic program into a nationwide phenomenon in the 1970s.

Mantooth is widely recognized the world over for his portrayal of Los Angeles County Firefighter/Paramedic “Johnny Gage” in the popular NBC Universal series. “Emergency!” aired 129 episodes and seven two-hour movies, with a national audience that averaged 30 million viewers each week. It continues to run in syndication at home and abroad, attracting a new legion of fans, both young and old.

Since “Emergency!” ended its original run, Randy has enjoyed a rewarding acting career in television, film, and theater. He is currently a partner in the creation and development of a new television show based on the Los Angeles County Fire Department’s Urban Search and Rescue teams, entitled “USAR-1”. In addition to his role as writer/producer of the proposed series, Randy is hard at work writing feature film screenplays.

Throughout the years, Randy has remained a loyal friend and advocate of firefighters, paramedics, EMTs, and other emergency medical providers. Schedule permitting, he makes speeches and personal appearances each year at events all across the country. Credited countless times in person for being the inspiration for lifelong careers dedicated to saving lives, he accepts the accolades with gracious deference to those he considers our true heroes.

Having completed the original paramedic training course, and having worked closely on the set of “Emergency!” with the nation’s first certified firefighter/paramedics who served as technical advisors, Randy brings a unique perspective and insight into the startup and history of pre-hospital treatment in the field. He worked alongside influential men who made a difference … men he greatly admired … the late Robert A. Cinader, and the man known as the “Father of Modern Emergency Medical Services”, close friend and mentor, the late James O. Page.

Randy’s speeches take his audience back to the roots of their profession, educating them on the struggles and triumphs of the once-fledgling paramedic program, and its relevance in the world of today’s emergency responders. He reminds them there is still work to be done. At the same time, he entertains with personal anecdotes and behind-the-scenes moments from the filming of “Emergency!” An articulate spokesperson on behalf of the firefighting and EMS communities, Randy is also a memorable storyteller, weaving passion, poignancy, and humor into his presentations.

His role as Johnny Gage on “Emergency!” profoundly influenced an entire generation of firefighters and paramedics. In his role today as an EMS advocate and one of the nation’s most sought after speakers for EMS and Fire Service Conferences, Randy preserves and honors the legacy of the founders of modern emergency medical services, while inspiring a whole new generation along the way.
"What we would like to do... what we've tried to do with Project 51 is to make sure that no one in this country ever takes EMS for granted... because having emergency medical services isn't our right... it's our priviledge."
Randolph Mantooth and Kevin Tighe co-starred as Los Angeles County Firefighter/Paramedics "Johnny Gage" and "Roy DeSoto" from 1972-1979 on NBC's "Emergency!"