Winner: Coronado Island Film Festival 2017
WINNER: San Pedro International Film Festival 2017
Winner: Impact DOCS Award 2017
Winner: San Diego International Kids Film Festival 2017
American Film Showcase 2017
Hamptons Take 2 Documentary Film Festival 2017
Kansas International Film Festival 2017
San Pedro International Film Festival 2017
Zero Plus Film Festival 2017
Show US! American Documentary Film Festival 2017
San Diego International Kids Film Festival 2017
NH Docs Film Festival 2017
South Bay Film &amp; Music Festival 2017
Kansas City Film Festival 2017
Prescott Film Festival 2017
Heartland Film Festival 2016

About The Film

High School 9-1-1 chronicles a year in the life of the only ambulance service in Darien, Connecticut that just happens to be run by high school teenagers?! This one-of-a-kind organization services 20,000 residents 365 days a year, 24/7 and responds to over 1500 emergency calls annually.

The foundation of Darien EMS–Post 53 is the empowerment of young people through adult and peer mentorship. “Posties” are taught a multitude of managerial, critical thinking and emergency medical skills and then given the responsibility to implement what they have learned by actually running their own EMS organization.

The goal of the film is to inspire and empower teenagers as well as motivate the adults in their lives—parents, educators, school administrators, community leaders—to create opportunities for them to become empowered, learn by doing and make a difference in their communities.

The Filmmakers

Tim Warren

Director, Producer, Editor

I was a member of Darien EMS–Post 53 from 1982 to 1985 and served as the organization’s VP of Operations my senior year of high school. I have such an incredible appreciation for “The Post,” and the opportunity and responsibility I was given as a teenager, that it motivated me to make this film. Today, I run my own production company that produces narrative films, documentaries and reality programming. I’ve spent the last two decades as an Executive Producer/Show Runner, overseeing 100’s of people at a time, on shows like Extreme Makeover: Home Edition and Bar Rescue. I’m also a multi-camera director having twice been nominated by The Director’s Guild of America for my work on SPIKE’s Ink Masterand Pros vs. Joes. While I didn’t go into the medical field, the life skills I learned in Post 53—making quick decisions under extreme stress, working with others and just plain not giving up—have been invaluable to me. I hope you enjoy the film and to quote Post 53’s Founder, Bud Doble, “Assume Nothing.”

Kelli Joan Bennett

Producer, Editor

I first learned about Darien EMS–Post 53 when Tim pitched me the concept for High School 9-1-1. My reaction was disbelief and horror. “Teenagers? Run the town’s EMS? They’re the EMTs? They drive the ambulance? Don’t ever let me get hurt in Darien, Connecticut!” MTV’s My Super Sweet 16 and brats who think of nothing but themselves, Katy Perry or WWE while getting baked came to mind. I wasn’t a fan of teenagers! And, I worked with scripts. I was founding partner of Scriptapalooza, Inc., a company that has launched countless writers’ careers and has been featured in Entrepreneur Business Start-Ups, Vanity Fair, Entertainment Weekly, and Variety. Under my new banner, Think Outside The Box Inside The Box Media, I produced and starred in Collusions, a cerebral crime mystery movie with Tom Everett Scott. Up next, I’m writer/director/star of Death Over 3 Bottles of Wine. Fortunately for me, I agreed to produce High School 9-1-1 despite my negative bias against teens. By the end of production, my mind was open! Open to what teenagers are actually capable of…in a good way. If I ever get hurt in Darien, I’d be lucky to have the teens of Post 53 come to my rescue.

Daniel Holechek

Post-Production Producer, Editor

Daniel Holechek is an accomplished director, editor and post-production producer. His company, Duality Filmworks was formed by Daniel and his brother David in 2009 after the successful launch of their second feature “305.” With a passion for television and independent film, the brothers have worked on hundreds of hours of programming. They’ve won over fifty awards including the CINE Masters Series award, the Heartland Institute Crystal Heart, A&E Indi Films Finalists, a half dozen Telly Awards, and over forty film festival awards among others. Unique to their skillset is a strong background in both editorial and visual effects, giving them command of the post-production process. Daniel graduated from Vanguard University in 2004 with a BA in Communication.

Film Stills

High School 9-1-1 Official Poster
Cecillia Lee taking her rider training test.
Meredith Koch drives the ambulance to a call.
Ines Castro in EMT class.
Post 53 members cleaning the ambulances.
Sarah Streeter practicing IVs in EMT-I class.
Christopher Calahan doing ambulance check out.
Meredith Koch, Megan Vitti, Ushashi Basu, Cecillia Lee and Sarah Mcgowan
Post 53 headquarters
Director Tim Warren gets the shot. Yes, the pavement was hot.
Tim Warren films exterior of Darien High School
Tim Warren films freshman, Cecillia Lee
Junior, Martin Hannon's, Interview
Sophomore, Ines Castro's, Interview
Tim Warren films EMT Instructor and Adult Advisor, Marilyn Vojta.
Tim Warren conducts an interview with Darien Police Chief, Duane Lovello.
Tim Warren films EMT evaluator, Dan Connell.
Tim Warren, here in 1985, goes through CPR training with fellow members of Darien EMS - Post 53.
Darien EMS - Post 53 elected officers 1984-1985. Left to Right. Treasurer-Frank Melbourne, President-Rob Clark, VP Programming-Jill Correnty, VP Operations-Tim Warren, Secretary-Mary Dostal, VP Training-Matt Collins.
Director Tim Warren was a member of Darien EMS - Post 53 from 1982-1985

How can you make a difference?

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HOST A SCREENING

Bring HIGH SCHOOL 9-1-1 to your community by hosting a screening! If you’d like to host a screening of HIGH SCHOOL 9-1-1 for your EMS organization, company, school, library, or group, PLEASE FILL OUT THIS FORM and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

Having trouble with the form? You can contact us directly to request a screening from Vicki Abeles | Outreach Director | Email: vicki@reellinkfilms.com | Office: 925.310.4242

Contact Us

PUBLICIST

Rachel Aberly

SCREENING CAMPAIGN:

Reel Link Films - Vicki Abeles
Office: 925.310.4242
Email: Vicki@reellinkfilms.com

SALES AGENT:

Agency for the Performing Arts
405 S. Beverly Drive
Beverly Hills, CA 90212

Hayden Meyer
Phone: 310-888-4248
Email: hmeyer@apa-agency.com

LEGAL

Del Shaw Moonves
Tanaka Finkelstein & Lezcano
Todd Weinstein
Phone: 310-979-7965

High School 9-1-1