Rachel Engel

Rendering Aid

Rachel Engel is an award-winning journalist and the senior editor of FireRescue1.com and EMS1.com. In addition to her regular editing duties, Engel seeks to tell the heroic, human stories of first responders and the importance of their work. She earned her bachelor’s degree in communications from Cameron University in Lawton, Oklahoma, and began her career as a freelance writer, focusing on government and military issues. Engel joined Lexipol in 2015 and has since reported on issues related to public safety. Engel lives in Wichita, Kansas. She can be reached via email.

LATEST ARTICLES

Substance Use Disorders

After Ole Miss deaths, a closer look at kratom and 7-OH

Potent synthetic kratom products are showing up in smoke shops and gas stations. Here’s what EMS and LEOs should know

October 05, 2026 11:57 AM

Rachel Engel

The EMS Pulse

The EMS Pulse: Medics split over 911’s high utilizer problem

A new study found 3% of patients account for 16% of all EMS calls; readers’ reactions were divided between exhaustion over repeat 911 callers and defense of the vulnerable people behind the numbers

September 22, 2026 12:18 PM

Rachel Engel

9/11

‘Nobody to triage’: FDNY commissioner recalls EMS’s sobering mission on 9/11

Lillian Bonsignore spent weeks working the pile; 25 years later, the area still triggers her brain to recall the smell “like it’s day one”

September 02, 2026 10:31 AM

Rachel Engel

Off Duty

The EMS Pulse: Medics weigh in on off-duty cannabis use

Hundreds of comments reveal broad support for off-duty cannabis use among EMS professionals, while questions about impairment testing, liability and federal rules remain sticking points

August 20, 2026 12:59 PM

Rachel Engel

EMS Training and Education

Inside Charlotte Fire Department’s immersive EMS training program

The department’s innovative approach uses realistic environments to strengthen communication, assessment and decision-making

July 31, 2026 05:11 PM

Rachel Engel

Rural EMS

The EMS Pulse: When it comes to rural EMS, ‘it’s you, your partner and Jesus’

Ask almost any rural medic and you’ll hear the same thing: Lower call volume doesn’t make the job easier; it changes what makes it hard.

July 31, 2026 01:23 PM

Rachel Engel

Firefighter Heroes

‘More than an actor’: Fire/EMS leaders, members on Randolph Mantooth’s impact

Mantooth’s portrayal of Johnny Gage inspired thousands of careers amid his unwavering advocacy for the fire/EMS industry during his lifetime

July 13, 2026 12:03 PM

Rachel Engel

EMS Advocacy

5 things to know about Randolph Mantooth, the ‘Emergency!’ star who inspired generations of medics

Mantooth’s portrayal of firefighter-paramedic Johnny Gage introduced millions of viewers to paramedicine, but his connection to EMS continued long after “Emergency!” ended

July 10, 2026 08:30 PM

Rachel Engel

Legal Issues

The EMS Pulse: Medics remain divided on the McClain ruling

From legal accountability to clinical decision-making, providers share what they believe EMS should learn from the case

June 24, 2026 10:50 AM

Rachel Engel

EMT, EMS, Paramedic Jobs and Careers

The EMS Pulse: Top career advice from 400+ EMS professionals

From retirement planning and physical fitness to mental health and backup careers, more than 400 EMS professionals reveal the lessons they learned the hard way

June 24, 2026 10:06 AM

Rachel Engel