Like many EMS careers, Tim Parson’s began after he personally witnessed the magic of the work. In 2015, his infant son suffered a neonatal seizure at home and was resuscitated by paramedics on the kitchen table.
Though his son made a full recovery, the experience changed the way he saw emergency responders — and ultimately changed the direction of his life. That same year, he joined the National Health Service as a volunteer ambulance chaplain. He later transitioned to South East Coast Ambulance (SECAmb) before settling in with a private ambulance service following the death of his father.
Years later, he’s channeling those experiences into a growing children’s book series centered on “Paramedic Chris,” a character inspired by his real-life paramedic partner and built around lessons in compassion, community service and mental health.
The goal? Introduce children to the career field and illustrate how responders show up for their families, friends and neighbors in times of need.
Stories rooted in real EMS experiences
Unlike many first responder books written for adults, Parsons wanted his stories to help children process fear and anxiety around emergencies in a format that felt approachable.
Inspired by his EMS partner, Chris, whose daughter was writing about her experience with cancer, Parsons wanted to bring the world of emergency response into focus for children.
“You’ve got Fireman Sam, but what have we got for the ambulance service?,” he recalled thinking. “Often, you have children who are very nervous and very anxious. I thought if we put those situations into a fun story, it can help calm the nerves.”
Enter Paramedic Chris.
The series features stories that pull directly from provider experiences and community interactions. Parsons’ newest release, “Paramedic Chris: Beyond the Call” was inspired by a real off-duty emergency.
While he was meeting another paramedic for coffee, the pair heard someone screaming for help nearby. A person was experiencing a stroke and the paramedic immediately stepped in to treat the patient while Parsons assisted.
“The reality is you’re never off duty,” he said. “Anything can happen and you will respond accordingly.”
Another book tackles bullying after Parsons participated in a school ambulance visit and reflected on his own childhood experiences.
In the story, a student’s bullying behavior causes the class to miss out on seeing the ambulance, illustrating how one person’s actions can impact an entire group.
“It’s a real-life message,” he said. “Actions do have consequences.”
In addition to the emergency response scenarios, the series consistently showcases how a community functions best when people show up for one another.
Growing the series beyond books
The series includes five books so far:
- “Paramedic Chris,” released in February 2018
- “Paramedic Chris: A Helping Hand,” released in September 2018
- “Paramedic Chris: A Sorry Bully,” released in February 2020
- “Paramedic Chris and the Runaway Chicken,” released in February 2022
- “Paramedic Chris: Beyond the Call,” released in March 2026
Like many independent authors, he said visibility remains one of the biggest challenges.
“You do all this promotion and sometimes it feels like you’re hitting a brick wall,” he said.
@paramedicchriskidsbooks Super excited , The book nook bakery and coffee shop in Tamworth are stocking copies of my latest book, Paramedic Chris Beyond The Call, thank you. Please follow @TheBookNookBakery for further information. #tamworth #tamworthshopping #tamworthbakery #booknook #booknooks @Softwood Books
♬ original sound - Paramedic Chris Kids Books
Still, he continues expanding the brand. His family has also become part of the creative process. His oldest son helped develop the title for “Paramedic Chris: Beyond the Call” after reading the manuscript.
“I said, that’s perfect,” Parsons said.
A larger mission focused on mental health
Beneath the children’s stories is a broader goal that has taken shape through both professional and personal hardship.
During his years in ambulance chaplaincy, Parsons repeatedly encountered patients in mental health crisis who cycled through emergency departments without meaningful long-term resources.
“You’d take them to Accident & Emergency (A&E) and they’d be discharged a few hours later,” he said. “They wouldn’t get the ongoing support they needed.”
The issue became even more personal after his father died and Parsons experienced his own mental health struggles.
“I did have a little breakdown myself,” he said.
Those experiences fueled his long-term vision: opening a wellness retreat and support center focused on mental health services for both first responders and the public.
In sketches and planning documents, he envisions counseling rooms, overnight accommodations, a chapel, wellness spaces and a 24/7 support center designed to provide earlier and more accessible intervention.
His dream? “Ultimately, to take the pressure off the frontline services,” he said.
His concerns mirror challenges seen throughout EMS systems in both the UK and the United States, where providers increasingly respond to behavioral health emergencies amid limited community resources.
Will add inline links to PTSD/mental health OC
Teaching compassion before crisis happens
For Parsons, the books are ultimately about more than the chaos of emergency calls.
They’re about helping children understand compassion, responsibility and service before they encounter crisis firsthand.
The stories also reflect a broader truth familiar to many EMS professionals: first responders often recognize the weaknesses within communities long before others do.
Rather than walking away from those problems, Parsons decided to build a narrative around them — one story at a time.
Despite modest sales and the challenges of self-publishing, he said he has no plans to stop writing.
“I’m not going to give up.”
