Jim Hirschman

1931 - 2022

Jim Hirschman
March 1, 1931 - December 20, 2022
Miami, Florida - It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Dr. Jim Charles Hirschman on December 20th, 2022. Jim is survived by his loving wife of 45 years Alicia Elena and was the proud father of Susan, William and his wife Holly and the late Katherine Hirschman; and loving and very proud Grandfather of Wesley and Charles.
Born in Indianapolis, Indiana on March 1, 1931 to Heidi and J. Clifton Hirschman, Doc Jim was the personification of a true Midwesterner; hardworking, conscientious, trustworthy and genuinely friendly. He completed his undergraduate studies in Chemistry at Harvard University in three years, graduating in 1952 and went on to medical school at Indiana University, School of Medicine, from which he graduated with honors in 1955. He completed his internship in the Navy; serving an additional two years as a Navy doctor.
While researching as a Fellow in Cardiology, he demonstrated by radio-angiography, the vasomotor control of the pulmonary vasculature, which he published in the British Heart Journal in May of 1963.
In 1966, Doc Jim developed a system of overseas transmission of the human electrocardiogram by radio. This led to his involvement in the development of the first pre-hospital medical care system, now known as the 911-paramedic system that started in 1968 in Miami, Florida. At this time, he wrote the first version of the Florida Statue, FS 401, to provide statutory basis for EMTs and Paramedics to perform their medical interventions and wrote a teaching curriculum on anatomy, physiology and cardiology that was used to train the first EMTs and Paramedics in the United States.
In 1972, he traveled to Israel to share the expertise of pre-hospital systems with the Israeli Red Cross. For that effort he was awarded the Silver Medal of Praise by Hebrew University in Jerusalem and the "Helping Hand Award" by the Magen-David-Adom.
In response to the devastation caused by Hurricane Gilbert in Jamaica, he assembled and led an academic mission of University of Miami Medical School Department Heads to Kingston's University of the West Indies to assist Jamaica in rebuilding its medical school curriculum. As a voluntary faculty member of University of Miami Medical School, he was promoted to the rank of Clinical Professor of Medicine; simultaneously running a private practice from 1961 to 2003 in Internal Medicine and Cardiology. During this time, Doc Jim also established the pre-hospital fire-rescue system in his home city of Coral Gables, Florida where he remained as the Medical Director for the next 36 years. He was President of the Greater Miami Heart Association 1973 to 1974, where he spearheaded The Bunny Run. He served a term as Chairman of the Department of Medicine at Doctors Hospital in Coral Gables and as the Chief of Cardiology at Mercy Hospital for nearly a decade where he was an active member of the Ethics Committee, serving as its Chair until he closed his private practice in 2003.
Doc Jim's first encounter with disaster mitigation was in response to the crash of Eastern Airlines flight 401 in the Everglades, during the Christmas holidays of 1972. "It truly was a life changing experience". He received the Barry Goldwater Humanitarian Award by the Radio Club of America in New York City for his life saving effort offered over his amateur radio station to a teenage boy shot by pirates off the coast of Nicaragua. By this method he was contacted by numerous emergency services from around the world saving many lives throughout the years.
Doc Jim was a truly enlightened man. He loved languages saying that "Language leads to a deeper understanding of culture". He was fluent in English, German and Spanish with studies in Russian, Greek and Hebrew. He was also an avid musician that played the guitar, harmonica, accordion, harp, piano and organ. He believed in a constant search for the truth, studying Christian literature, history, philosophy, biography and cultural anthropology. He loved life and he loved people.
The world is a better place because he was here. He shared his generous heart and gave freely of his time, kindness and love to patients, colleagues, family and friends. He has left us a rich legacy of accomplishments that will continue to save lives.
Services will be held on Saturday, January 28, 2023 at 11:00 am at Plymouth Congregational Church, 3400 Devon Road, Coconut Grove, 305-444-6521
Should you desire, please make a contribution to Friends of the Everglades in Doc's honor.
http://www.everglades.org