This 76-Year-Old Maryland Man Has Answered Over 3,300 Emergency Calls—All Without a Paycheck
In a quiet corner of Montgomery County, Maryland, a man well into his 70s is doing something few people half his age are willing to take on—he’s rushing into emergencies, offering help in moments of crisis, and doing it all without ever receiving a paycheck.
Ed Levien, 76, is one of the oldest emergency medical technicians (EMTs) in the state of Maryland. Over the past 12 years, he has responded to more than 3,300 emergency calls and has logged over 13,000 unpaid volunteer hours in the field.
Once a professional in the world of advertising, Levien never imagined that his true calling would come after retirement, with sirens, CPR, and backboards replacing boardrooms and client meetings.
A Life Transformed by Service
Levien didn’t plan to become a medic. After retiring from a successful advertising career, he was simply looking for something meaningful to do.
“I never had an impact on anyone until I started doing this,” he said.
That powerful statement captures what emergency response work has given him: purpose, connection, and identity. What started as a volunteer commitment soon evolved into a lifestyle that has reshaped how he sees himself—and how others see him.
He may not wear a cape, but to many Marylanders, Ed Levien is a hero.
The Reality of EMT Work at 76
Levien doesn’t just ride along in an ambulance a few times a year. He’s consistently active in his role—performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), lifting patients onto stretchers, stabilizing trauma victims, and making critical decisions during the “golden hour” of medical emergencies.
He works overnight shifts, often sleeping in the firehouse in between calls, and keeps himself physically fit enough to meet the rigorous physical demands of the job.
Many of the people he works with are decades younger. Yet Levien not only keeps up—he often leads.
Why He Does It—And Why He’ll Keep Going
So why does he do it?
“It’s the impact,” he says simply. “It’s knowing that what I do actually matters to someone.”
That feeling of making a difference, of arriving in someone’s most vulnerable moment and offering a hand of comfort or a lifesaving intervention, has become his primary motivation.
Unlike his old job in advertising—where success was measured in campaigns and client accounts—EMT work has given him something immeasurable: the gratitude of strangers and the peace of knowing he’s needed.
And he’s not planning to stop anytime soon. As long as he’s physically capable, Ed Levien plans to keep volunteering.
Maryland’s Volunteer First Responders: An Aging Backbone
Maryland, like many states, relies heavily on volunteer emergency personnel—particularly in suburban and rural counties. In fact, more than 70% of fire and EMS departments across the U.S. are partially or fully staffed by volunteers.
But with fewer young people entering the field, older volunteers like Ed are increasingly essential.
His story isn’t just about heroism—it’s about a national need, and the growing role seniors may play in helping fill the void in America’s shrinking volunteer emergency services.