Sunday, April 23, 2023 | Special Advertising Section 1 R 16 SPONSORED CONTENT PROVIDED BY MEDIC ONE FOUNDATION Lisa and her husband, John, looked forward to a quiet evening at home after a long day at work. A few hours later, Lisa began having intense pain in her neck and was feeling nauseated. The next thing John knew, Lisa went unconscious. He attempted to take her pulse, but she didn’t have one. John called 911 and highly trained Medic One paramedics responded. One of those paramedics, Eric, explains what happened after his team arrived on scene, “In Lisa’s case she had a very prolonged cardiac arrest with multiple defibrillations. We used almost every medication that we carry in the medic unit.” Once the paramedics got Lisa’s blood pressure and pulse stabilized, they rushed her to the hospital. There she underwent surgery for a blocked artery. Intense education Paramedics in King County attend the Medic One Paramedic Training Program, funded by contributions to the Medic One Foundation. “As a result of their extraordinary training, Seattle and King County firefighters and paramedics consistently achieve patient survival rates for sudden cardiac arrest that are nearly double the national average,” says Kim Duncan Martin, executive director of the Medic One Foundation. “Upon graduation, these paramedic students will undergo 2,100 hours of clinical, classroom and field experience,” Martin says. The national recommendation is 1,100 hours, almost half of the hours recorded by local paramedic students. Students will also experience 600 patient contacts during the 10-month program, which is three times more than other paramedic training programs. Specialized paramedic training saves lives Medic One Foundation saves lives by improving prehospital emergency care. Since 1974, we’ve invested $30 million in paramedic training, research to improve patient outcomes, equipment to help fire departments save lives, and CPR/AED and First Aid training for citizen responders. Learn more at www.mediconefoundation.org. The leading cause of death and other emergencies Heart disease is the No. 1 killer in the world, regardless of gender or race. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that one person dies of a heart-related disease every 34 seconds. Martin says, “The goal of the Medic One Foundation is to ensure the very best possible care is provided to each patient and that nobody dies from a treatable medical emergency.” Last year, Medic One paramedics responded to more than 42,000 calls for advanced life support. Nearly half of those involved life-threatening emergencies like cardiovascular, respiratory, neurological, trauma, obstetric and anaphylaxis calls, she says. It’s hard to imagine that you would ever need to call 911 for yourself or someone you love fighting for their life and in need of the specialized care that our region’s paramedics provide in a life-or-death medical emergency. If you do, know that the paramedics who will respond to your call are some of the best trained and will give you or a loved one the best chance for survival. In case of an emergency, there are ways to be prepared, such as taking a CPR/AED class and keeping your certificate up to date. “When a person goes into sudden cardiac arrest, every minute without CPR reduces their chance of survival,” Martin says. “Immediate help from a bystander who can perform CPR is critical to the chain of survival.” Ultrarealistic training The Medic One Foundation also provides the critical equipment needed to train paramedics during paramedic training. High-fidelity manikins and LifePak 15 trainers allow the educators to replicate many patient conditions. Then the paramedic students can practice a variety of skills without putting any patients in jeopardy. In addition, paramedic students participate in up to nine ultrarealistic training drills with local EMS providers. Currently local EMS agencies lack sufficient staffing because of recent retirements. There is a real need to train more paramedics. The incoming paramedic training class is currently at the maximum capacity of 24. This kind of intensive preparation makes a real difference in people’s lives. Just ask Lisa and John. Lisa made a full recovery and has since celebrated the birth of her first grandchild, and John is grateful for the training and support that made it possible. To hone their skills in treating patients experiencing cardiac emergencies, paramedic students participate in code drills that require them to practice assessing and treating progressively more complex scenarios. Medic One paramedic students have the unique opportunity to participate in the annual Pediatric Emergencies for Pre-hospital Professionals (PEPP) course with Seattle Children’s. Donate today! Trauma drills are critical in allowing students to practice their skills in assessing, treating and transporting mock-patients suffering from serious traumatic injuries. (Photos courtesy of Medic One Foundation)
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