Meet the EMS Avenger: Saving lives with kindness and content

In this high-impact edition of the EMS One-Stop podcast, host Rob Lawrence sits down with EMS influencer and educator Jimmy Apple, known widely across platforms as The EMS Avenger. With nearly 70,000 followers on TikTok and a growing presence on Instagram and Facebook, Jimmy has mastered the art of compressing complex clinical topics into digestible, engaging content.

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In this conversation, Rob pulls back the curtain on the man behind the mobile screen — exploring Jimmy's journey from electrician to pediatric critical care paramedic, and now, one of EMS's most watched and listened-to voices.

Listeners will gain deep insight into Jimmy’s origin story, his social media strategies, his refusal to let bad information go unchallenged, and his passionate belief that “Saving lives begins with kindness.” The pair also tackle:

• Content creation advice for EMS agencies

• The challenges of tone and accuracy in short-form video

• How to maintain compassion in the face of a toxic work culture

This episode is part masterclass in communication, part call to action for the future of EMS — and all heart.

Memorable quotes from Jimmy Apple: The EMS Avenger

• “Saving lives begins with kindness. That is my motto, it is my philosophy.”

• “You have to package something down to its bare essence … there's some nuance lost, but you have seconds to keep people's attention.”

• “My goals going forward are to support people who are acting in good faith while correcting the misinformation.”

• “Generally speaking, you will draw the engagement that you're looking for. If you're putting out content in good faith, you'll get good faith engagement.”

• “We are responsible for ourselves and how we respond … and I believe we need to respond to everything that is happening in the world today with kindness.”

Episode timeline

00:54 – Rob introduces Jimmy Apple, aka the EMS Avenger

01:20 – Jimmy’s background: from electrician to EMS

03:30 – The grandfather conversation that changed his life

04:50 – How pathophysiology sparked a love for learning

05:40 – Birth of the EMS Avenger: from student favorite to TikTok influencer

06:55 – Ginger Locke’s advice that redirected Jimmy’s podcast path

08:04 – Compressing content: "from textbook to bumper sticker"

10:00 – The content hook: “Are we getting rid of normal saline?”

11:00 – How Jimmy selects topics: research, news, curiosity and requests

13:00 – Hot topics in EMS: cricothyrotomy, TXA, ketamine, provider safety

14:40 – Rob discusses EMSIntel.org and ambulance theft data

16:00 – Can EMS agencies do what Jimmy does? The risks and the realities

18:30 – "Stop the finger": creating content that captures attention

20:00 – Rob on the risks of public messaging and backlash

21:00 – Calling out misinformation: the line between education and shame

23:00 – Jimmy’s growing reach across TikTok, Instagram and Facebook

24:45 – Managing Facebook’s deeper comments and nuanced conversations

26:45 – Jimmy’s rule: “Engage only with good faith”

27:50 – Final thought: EMS must rediscover kindness

29:00 – Closing remarks and where to follow Jimmy Apple online

Additional resources

• Conne