Writer's guidelines

Established in 1969 and now published monthly by Bobit Publishing Company, Emergency is the oldest journal devoted specifically to emergency medical services.  Our readers are emergency medical personnel--specifically, responders at the scene of an accident or injury.  These professionals include emergency medical technicians, paramedics, emergency department personnel and ambulance attendants from around the globe.

Features
Subjects of feature articles include prehospital trauma, advanced first aid, hazardous materials response, disaster preparation, transportation, rescue service, technology updates, training information, pediatric and geriatric life support, EMS management, career management, legal issues, regulatory concerns, innovative solutions to common problems, and trend/developments in the industry.

Articles should be semi-technical in nature, with information appropriate to the skill level of EMT through paramedic.  Acceptable feature length is 10 to 12 typewritten, double-spaced pages, not to exceed 3,000 words.  Color transparencies, prints or other appropriate artwork should accompany all articles.

All medical articles will be reviewed for medical accuracy by two or more members of our Advisory Board.  Revisions,
both minor and major, are common and should be expected.

Departments
Presently, there are 16 departments in Emergency.  Ten of these are open to freelance contributors.  All departments are subject to change according to editorial space and readership interest.

Drug Watch: This department focuses on particular drugs that emergency medical personnel administrator.  This column is technical in nature and discusses current controversies and research regarding these drugs.  Emphasis is on the drugs' potential or actual use on-scene and in the field.  Length: 6 to 12 double-spaced pages (1,500 to 3,000 words).

Milestones: Features events of historical significance or stories about the development of EMS equipment, techniques or trends, etc., (1,200 to 1,500 words).

Maintenance: Addresses the issue of how best to maintain equipment and supplies (1,200 to 1,500 words).

Open Forum: Short, informal, first-person stories and opinion pieces that depict the personal or emotional aspect of emergency care.  Length: 2 to 4 double-spaced pages (500 to 1,000 words).

Open Airways: Concise news items that affect those in the emergency field.  Length: 1 to 3 double-spaced pages (250 to 750 words).

Guest Editorial: Signed commentaries on current national EMS topics.  Usually corresponds to the issue's theme.  Length: 2 double-spaced pages (500 to 600 words).

Volunteer View: Examines the unique experiences of the volunteer medic (1,200 to 1,500 words).

Skills Primer: Step-by-step explanations of basic emergency medicine procedures.  The article should be accompanied by a series of detailed photos illustrating proper skill techniques.  Length: (1,500 to 2,250 words).

Action: A two-page photo essay of EMS professionals in action.  Color slides are preferred.  Photographers are to identify the action taking place: the affiliation of the rescuers by department, city and state; and the patient treatments being rendered.  Photos of incidents other than motor vehicle accidents are particularly appreciated.

Rescue Call: Detailed essay about specific rescues, techniques or related issues.  Accompanying photos preferred.  Length: 6 to 10 double-spaced pages (1,500 to 2,500 words).

Along with these ten departments, Emergency also features EMS Quiz, Health News, Gear, In Quest, Letters, Calendar, Reviews and Classified.

EMS Quiz consists of 14 to 18 questions and answers divided into three skill level categories--basic, intermediate and advanced.

Literature/Video Review: Reviews of current literature and videotapes.  Include a product photo, author name, number of pages/length, cost, publisher/producer, and ordering information.  Length: 2 to 4 double-spaced pages (500 to 1,000 words).

Health News is a light, general interest column that deals with personal health issues.

Gear highlights new products available to EMS personnel. Press releases and black-and-white photos should be directed to Gear.

In Quest offers an opportunity to ask specific questions about various medical procedures.  Questions should be directed to In Quest.

Calendar highlights upcoming EMS courses and conferences. Items should be submitted four months prior to the event date and should include the event title, location, date and a contact phone number and address.

Letters, complimentary and critical, are welcomed and should be directed to the Editor.

For information on Classified Advertising, or reprints call (310) 376-8788. Fax (310) 798-2473.

Before submitting a manuscript, please send a query letter or outline of the proposed work, preferably via email.  All manuscripts must be accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope.  The author's name, address and telephone number should be typed on the upper left-hand corner of the first page of the manuscript.  We try to respond within 60 days of submission.

Our production schedule is such that we need manuscripts three months in advance of the issue's publication date.  For example, articles for March are put into production in December of the previous year.  Please keep this in mind when submitting material for a particular issue.

Emergency considers manuscripts and photography on speculation only and pays upon acceptance.  We buy nonexclusive rights to published text and/or photographs, including the right to reuse in other Bobit Publishing titles.  The ;author/photographer is free to sell submitted written material elsewhere 90 days after publication in Emergency.  We grant reprint permission unless otherwise negotiated prior to publication.  Contributors will receive two copies of the issue in which their material appears.

Writing Style

Writing style should be informed and thorough with a clear theme and an intriguing story line to maintain reader interest.

We do not accept research or overly technical papers.  Please adhere to standard Associated Press and magazine style.  Single-spaced and handwritten manuscripts will not be considered for publication.  Query letters, as opposed to unsolicited manuscripts, are preferred.

Double-check technical facts and back up information with quotes from experts in the field.  When appropriate, cite references with footnotes (not a bibliography) and use footnotes sparingly.  A short author biography should accompany all articles.  Sidebars, tables, graphs, glossaries and subheads are appreciated.

We prefer that manuscripts be submitted via e-mail but they may also be sent on computer disk (3.5?) accompanied by a double-spaced hard copy.  Microsoft Word for Windows or Macintosh is acceptable.  Please save your work as both text only and ASCII files.

References

Please keep your lists of references brief and in the following form:
For articles: Author Last Name, Initial: Article Title, Journal Title in italics.  Volume (Number): Year, Page.
For books: Author Last Name, Initial, Book Title in italics.  City: Publisher, Year, Page.

Photography and Artwork

Color transparencies are preferred and color or black-and-white prints are accepted.  Photographic material is returned to the photographer upon publication and duplication for our files.  While every effort will be made to return slides and prints, we cannot guarantee their safety.  Consequently, we advise photographers to submit only quality duplicates rather than original slides and negatives.

Emergency strives to publish only photos that depict proper medical techniques rendered professionally.  This means medics wearing appropriate personal protective equipment (gloves, goggles, etc.) and patients properly immobilized.

Photos should clearly show responders rendering care or performing some other task.  Images of vehicle wreckage or medics' backs are not acceptable.  As general rule, the close you get to the action, the better.  Unique angles, perspectives or subject matter are encouraged.

Send enough shots to illustrate what happened, to whom and how.  A selection of vertical and horizontal shots is desirable.  The photographer's name, address and phone number should be indicated on each photo.  Include a caption sheet detailing what is happening in each shot, what agency is responding and where the incident took place.

In addition to photos of emergency calls, we are always looking for symbolic images we can use to illustrate articles on general interest topics (for example, photos of crowded EDs; exercising, relaxing or having a bite to eat; stress; union meetings; paperwork; or whatever medics encounter on a typical shift).

Payment Schedule

Feature Articles...................$100-$400
Drug Watch/Skills Primer...........$200-$300
Editorial...........................$50-$100
Open Forum............................$0-$75
Open Airways..........................$0-$75
Rescue Calls.......................$150-$300
Literature/Video Review..............$50-$75
Photo (inside magazine)..................$30
Photo (cover)......................$150 + up
Other Departments..................$125-$200
Noteworthy material will be considered for additional compensation.

2512 Artesia Boulevard, Redondo Beach, CA 90278-3295
(310)376-8788 * Fax (310)798-4598 * E-mail emg@bobit.com

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