'Chronicles' premiere inspires discussion in San Francisco

By Shannon Eliot
EMS1 Associate Editor

Chronicles of EMS - The Reality Series (Season 1 Episode 1) from Thaddeus Setla on Vimeo. Trouble viewing the video? Download Flash player here

Photo EMS1 Producer and paramedic Ted Setla gets ready for the premiere of 'Chronicles of EMS' on Friday at the Hotel Frank in San Francisco. 'Chronicles' follows real EMTs around the country as they perform their jobs. Related Articles: Reality series seeks to shape EMS dialogue UK medic gets taste of American response Using Social Media at Your Agency Related Resources: View 'Chronicles' premiere slideshow View 'Chronicles' pilot episode

SAN FRANCISCO — More than 70 EMS professionals, friends, and supporters traveled to San Francisco on Friday for the world premiere of the new reality series, 'Chronicles of EMS.'

The pilot episode that focuses on a transatlantic paramedic exchange has been viewed more than 3,000 times since it first went online four days ago, according to producer Ted Setla.

"The online responses have been incredible thus far," Setla said. "I'm also blown away by seeing all these people from around the U.S. in one environment to discuss a common cause. They never would have met otherwise, and everyone was there because of social media."

Setla said that while the first 'Chronicles Tweet-up' — where Twitter users headed to San Francisco for the premiere party — was a success, he's already using the lessons from Friday to see what he can do better next time.

"This was a great learning process as well so we know how to improve such meetings in the future," Setla said. "Our next goal is to have an East Coast premiere of the pilot showcasing some B-roll and behind-the-scenes coverage, as well as an episode of the discussion program 'A Seat at the Table.'"

While initial episodes and meetings will be filmed domestically, Setla and his team also have their sights set on investigating global EMS systems.

"Our goal is to also team up with some overseas providers," Setla said. "So far we've gotten positive responses from the UK, Germany, and Switzerland, and we're hoping to film those segments in the next eight to 10 weeks."

In the meantime, Setla will be encouraging 'Chronicles' fans and viewers to speak up and share their ideas of what they would like to see in future episodes.

"The phenomenon of social media is amazing, and we've proven that we can make the world smaller by using it in smart ways," Setla said. "Regardless of where we go, we'll always have a large audience."