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Utah mom and EMT educates children about first responders with new book

Posted at 2:59 PM, May 29, 2019
and last updated 2019-05-29 17:18:51-04

Have you ever read the book, "Goodnight Ambulance?" We got to talk with author Ali Arbuckle, a Utah mom to 3-year-old Eli, who wrote the book based on her experience as an EMT(emergency medical technician) for Summit County Ambulance Service (a division of Park City Fire Department).

"One question I get asked by little kids when they tour the station is, 'Do you sleep here?' and it is quickly followed by 'What happens if you get a call in the middle of the night?'" says Ali about why she wrote the children's book.

In her book, "Goodnight Ambulance, " Ali and her illustrator Ralfs Treimanis  take the reader on a journey following two EMTs as they respond alongside police and fire officials to a tough call in the early hours of the day. She says this book is geared toward readers ages 3-5, but will be loved by siren chasers of all ages.

An excerpt: "Goodnight ambulance. Goodnight shed. Goodnight EMT in the bed."

You can purchase the book now on Amazon. You'll get the Kindle version for free when you purchase the hard copy.

Ali also told us her plans to make a series out of important concepts for children:

"By the end of 2020, I hope to have six books published," she said.

This series includes:

o "Goodnight Ambulance" (Published May 2019)
o "Goodnight Officer" - (coming Summer 2019) Police officers go on tough calls and put their life at risk every time they go on duty. It is always a huge relief for everyone when they call off duty and return home safely.
o "Goodnight Soldier" - (coming 2020) This book has yet to be written, but this book will cover the topic of PTSD after the soldier returns home, what signs they may show, and how family can help support them.
o "Goodnight Marine" - (coming 2020) This book also has yet to be written. This book will be about a marine deployed who misses their family very much and how they communicate with their loved ones even though they are very far away. I really want to emphasize the marine keeping their family in their heart and minds while they are deployed and how they do that.

Two books outside the series are called "The Adventures of Tiny and Moose" (August 2019) which is a story dedicated to my son whom we call Tiny, and a stuffed animal passed down from his dad, Moose. And the last one is called "How Hurt Works." This book is written and illustrated by me in hopes of helping children understand grief after losing someone they love in their life.

Her illustrator, Ralfs, is from Riga, Latvia (A country bordering Russia on one side and the Baltic Sea on the other.) Communicating with him is very interesting because of the time difference (+9 hours difference). His English is actually pretty good and he does very well at understanding my ideas. He is currently working on the illustrations for "Goodnight Officer."

You can find more about Ali at www.facebook.com/ambo.author.