Donations needed to train 24 new paramedics
Published 3:30 pm Thursday, November 5, 2015
For the Reporter
The Medic One Foundation is kicking off its urgent, year-end fundraising drive to help ensure that the region’s survival rate for sudden cardiac arrest remains among the highest in the world.
If met, the foundation’s $640,000 fundraising goal will cover the cost of training 24 new Medic One paramedics – the largest paramedic class since 2003.
Among the 24 paramedics in the latest class are Anthony DeSanto, Richard Gordon, and Kyle Waterman, from South King County.
The foundation funds the intensive paramedic training that is the cornerstone of the region’s world-class Medic One system.
“Our region’s firefighters and paramedics make this among 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 their chances of survival before they even reach the hospital. But when the unexpected crisis 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 paramedics like Anthony, Richard and Kyle in South King County, come solely through community support – we don’t receive any government funding. We need the community’s help now to 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.”
Donors can designate gifts for a number of essential items including textbooks and medical equipment that the students need to complete their training.
The rigorous paramedic training funded by the foundation provides more than double the amount of instruction time required by the national standard. To donate, or for more information, visit www.mediconefoundation.org.
