Medic One Foundation in need of donations to save lives

The Medic One Foundation announced that it is kicking off its urgent, year-end fundraising drive to help ensure that our region's survival rate for sudden cardiac arrest remains the highest in the world. 

If met, the Foundation’s $615,000 fundraising goal would cover the cost of training 23 new Medic One paramedics – the largest paramedic class since 2003 – as well as the purchase of two new training defibrillators. 

Among the 23 paramedics in this latest class are local Shoreline residents Gabriel DeBay, Jason Emerson, and Ed Horstman, members of the Shoreline Fire department.

$100,000 of the $615,000 goal still remains to be raised by the end of the year. The Foundation funds the intensive paramedic training that is the cornerstone of this region’s world-class Medic One system.

With a sudden cardiac arrest survival rate of 62 percent in Seattle/King County, the benefits provided by such extensive training are clear. Comparing this data to survival rates of other major U.S. cities like New York (5 percent), Chicago (3 percent), Los Angeles (7 percent) and Detroit (0 percent) further demonstrates the influence of Foundation-funded paramedic training in other Northwest communities.

“Our region's firefighters and paramedics make this the safest place in the country for victims of sudden cardiac arrest,” said Jan Sprake, Executive Director of the Medic One Foundation. “Most people don't think about the quality of training paramedics receive or how to improve your chances of survival before you even reach the hospital. But when the unexpected does happen and you or a loved one is fighting to stay alive, the paramedic training program we are asking you to support could play a big part in helping you win that fight." 

Sprake continued, “The funds we provide to train our paramedics like Gabriel, Jason, and Ed from Shoreline, come solely through community support – we don’t receive any government funding. We need the community's help now!”  Donors can designate gifts for a number of essential items including paramedic training textbooks, cardiac life support classes, medical equipment and the two training defibrillators.

The rigorous training for the region’s paramedics funded by the Foundation provides more than double the amount of instruction time required by the national standard. 

The demand for paramedics is expected to  continue to be high over the next 10 years due to the upcoming retirement of many of the region's senior paramedics. Without funding from donations, the Medic One Foundation cannot support the caliber of training and education that allows our region's paramedics to provide a level of pre-hospital care that is unmatched anywhere in the country. To donate, or for more information, visit the website