PennWell Acquires Elsevier Public Safety Media Brands

TULSA, Oklahoma – PennWell Corporation, a diversified global media and information company, announced today that it has acquired the Elsevier Public Safety Group including flagship magazine JEMS (Journal of Emergency Medical Services), JEMS.com, and the EMS Today Conference & Exposition (the JEMS Conference), EMS Insider newsletter, along with FireRescue magazine, FirefighterNation.com, FireEMSblogs.com, Law Officer magazine, LawOfficer.com, and the publishing contract for APCO’s Public Safety Communications magazine from Elsevier, Inc.  Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

PennwellElsevier Public Safety was founded in 1980 as JEMS Communications, with JEMS magazine published continuously since then as one of the most iconic brands in the emergency medical services (EMS) market.  During the last 32 years Elsevier Public Safety expanded to become the only media company serving all four key public safety segments – EMS, Fire/Rescue, Law Enforcement and Communications.  The management and staff will join PennWell and remain based in San Diego.

Robert F. Biolchini, president and CEO of PennWell, said, “The Elsevier Public Safety business is a rare and perfect fit with PennWell.  We have long pursued JEMS magazine, known as the ‘Conscience of EMS’, and which has earned its reputation as the #1 leading title for EMS due to the quality and integrity of its editorial content in print and online which match PennWell’s high standards for excellence.  PennWell is equally enthusiastic about the EMS Today Conference & Expo, the largest and most prestigious training conference and exhibition for EMS, and we envision many expansion opportunities for this event on other continents.”