A Legacy of Service – Third-Generation EMS Professional Joins His Father at AtlantiCare

For Tom Goldsmith, a decorated paramedic with 35 years of experience, stepping into an ambulance has always felt like second nature. In many ways, he was born into the role.

His parents were both first responders, his father was a full-time corrections officer, EMT, and firefighter, while his mother also served as an EMT and firefighter. From an early age, Tom was immersed in the world of emergency medicine, spending time at firehouses, riding in ambulances, and learning life-saving skills before most kids even considered their future careers.

By 12, he earned his first CPR certification. By 14, he had completed advanced first aid. At just 16, he became Pennsylvania’s youngest EMT, and at 17, he embarked on an intense paramedic training program, 16 hours a day, six days a week, where only six students out of 48 made it to graduation.

By 18, Tom was certified and ready to save lives. But despite his credentials, the only job he could find was delivering pizzas, until one phone call changed everything. In the late ‘80s, then West Jersey Hospital offered him his first full-time paramedic job, a position that eventually led him to AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center in Atlantic City.

Now, decades later, history is repeating itself.

Tom’s son, Justin, grew up surrounded by the same sights and sounds of emergency response, fire trucks, ambulances, and dispatch calls were just part of life.

“I never really thought about it as unusual,” Justin said. “Playing on ambulances, hanging around the firehouse, it was just what we did.”

When it came time for high school, Justin knew exactly what he wanted to do. He enrolled at the Atlantic County Institute of Technology, dedicating himself to EMS studies and graduating second in his class.

For Tom, watching his son enter the field was a moment of both pride and concern.

“As a parent, you always want more for your kids,” he admitted. “This job takes its toll. You miss holidays, family events, and sleep. But when your kid has this kind of passion, what can you do? You support him, just like my parents supported me.”

Justin wasted no time diving into his new career, joining AtlantiCare EMS. And from day one, Tom pushed him to take every opportunity to learn.

“The best way to grow as a paramedic is to get on the rig as much as possible,” Tom advised. “Days, nights, weekends, it doesn’t matter.”

But what Tom didn’t realize was that Justin had a surprise in store.

Behind the scenes, AtlantiCare EMS Chief Steve Napoli, Justin, and the EMS team had been quietly planning something special. When Tom arrived at the Mays Landing station for his Monday night shift, he expected business as usual. Instead, he was met with a moment he never saw coming: His new partner for the night? His son, Justin.

Tom, a man who had seen it all in his decades of service, was momentarily speechless.

“I had no idea,” he said, still taking in the moment. “It’s not every day you get to see your kid start their career the same way you did, let alone be there with them for it.”

Their first shift together was a quiet one, no major calls, no adrenaline-filled emergencies. But Tom knows that won’t last. “He’ll have plenty of charts to fill out soon enough,” he said with a knowing smile.

For EMS Chief Steve Napoli, the Goldsmiths’ story is more than just a touching family moment, it’s a symbol of the future of the profession.

“Seeing someone like Justin enter the field, following in his father’s footsteps, is a reminder of why we do this,” Napoli said. “This job is demanding, but it’s also one of the most rewarding careers out there. Watching families like the Goldsmiths carry that tradition forward is inspiring, not just for us as leaders, but for the entire EMS community.”

For Tom and Justin, the dedication to EMS is no longer just a shared passion, it’s a shared experience.

“He’s just starting his journey,” Tom said, looking at his son with pride. “And if he’s anything like the paramedic I know he can be, he’ll make an incredible impact.”

As Justin embarks on his career, the Goldsmith family’s legacy of service continues, one call, one shift, and one life saved at a time.