Washington

• University of Washington – Harborview Center for Prehospital Emergency Care
• Harborview Paramedic Training Program
• The Medic One Program of Seattle Fire Department
• King County Emergency Medical Services

Seattle and surrounding King County both report one of the highest sudden cardiac arrest survival rates in the world thanks to longstanding work by dedicated emergency medical services (EMS) providers and physicians in Washington state. Education has played a key role in this success. More than 70 percent of the Seattle area population is trained in CPR.

Key Strengths

• Community training – 70 percent of the Seattle population is trained in CPR through the Medic II program.
• EMS training – Harborview Paramedic Training Program provides 3,000 hours (compared to the national standard of 1,100 hours) of instruction and hands-on training to its students. The Medic One Foundation raises funds in the local community to support this paramedic training.
• Resuscitation Academy – The Resuscitation Academy program offers EMS agencies from around the world access to an intensive training program, free of charge.

Key Results to Date

• More than 40 percent of the population in Washington is represented by WA CARES.
• EMS medical directors who serve approximately 50 percent of the state population have attended the WA Resuscitation Academy.
• The first Dispatch Academy was held in November 2011, training on best practices around 911 dispatch-assisted CPR instructions.
• Community CPR training events in several counties, communities and school districts ongoing with partnering organizations.

Contact
Dr. Graham Nichol Director of University of Washington-Harborview Center for Prehospital Emergency Care
Websites:
www.resuscitationacademy.org
www.kingcounty.gov/healthservices/health/ems/MedicOne
www.seattle.gov/fire/medics/medicTwo

 

The Team