Emily Pratt Slatin

Emily Pratt Slatin
Born	(1979-07-20) July 20, 1979 New York City, New York, United States
Nationality	American
Occupation	Author, photographer, retired Fire/EMS lieutenant
Known for	Dark Horse diary series
Spouse(s)	Amelia Phoenix Desertsong
Website	www.rescuegirl557.com

Emily Pratt Slatin (born July 20, 1979) is an American author, photographer, and retired fire and emergency medical services (EMS) lieutenant. She is known for her autobiographical Dark Horse diary series, which combines memoir, photography, local history, and personal reflection. Her work explores themes including rural life, memory, identity, emergency services culture, LGBTQ+ experiences, and historical preservation.

Early life and education

Emily Pratt Slatin was born on July 20, 1979, in New York City, United States. She spent much of her childhood in Stamford, New York, a rural community in the Catskill Mountains that later became a recurring setting in her writing and photography.

She is the daughter of Anne Pratt Slatin and Dr. Harvey L. Slatin, a scientist whose career included work associated with the Manhattan Project. Slatin has cited her family's history, rural upbringing, and experiences growing up in New York as major influences on her creative work.

From an early age, she developed interests in photography, local history, writing, and public service. These interests later became central themes throughout her literary and photographic projects.

Career

Emergency services

Prior to becoming a full-time writer and photographer, Slatin worked in emergency medical services and the fire service. During her public safety career, she served in a variety of operational and leadership roles and eventually attained the rank of lieutenant.

Her experiences responding to medical emergencies, accidents, fires, and community incidents influenced much of her later writing. Themes related to service, trauma, resilience, and emergency response frequently appear throughout her memoirs and essays.

After retiring from public safety work, Slatin devoted her attention to writing, photography, historical documentation, and publishing projects.

Photography

Slatin's photographic work focuses primarily on rural America, abandoned structures, local history, transportation infrastructure, architecture, and everyday life. Her photography often documents communities, landscapes, and historical sites that are undergoing social or economic change.

Her images have appeared in publications, exhibitions, and independent documentary projects. Much of her work serves as a visual record of rural communities and historic locations in New York and Vermont.

Photography also plays an important role in her literary work, where photographs are frequently incorporated alongside narrative essays, personal reflections, and historical commentary.

Writing

Slatin is the author of the Dark Horse series, a multi-volume autobiographical diary project blending memoir, photography, illustrations, local history, and personal reflection. The series addresses subjects including childhood, family, friendship, emergency services, gender, sexuality, autism, memory, and rural life in New York and Vermont.

The publication of Dark Horse Volume 2 received coverage in regional newspapers, including the Mountain Times.

Legacy and themes

Scholars and reviewers have noted Slatin’s emphasis on memory, preservation, local history, infrastructure, and the documentation of everyday life. Her work frequently explores the relationship between place, identity, and personal history.

Personal life

Slatin lives in Vermont with her wife, Amelia Phoenix Desertsong. She has publicly written about being autistic, intersex, and lesbian, and these experiences form recurring themes throughout her work.

External links

• Official website