April 4 — This morning James Raisbeck, a Seward Park resident, well-known Seattle-area businessman and philanthropist, was at Fire Station 28 in Seattle, along with his wife, Sherry Raisbeck, where they announced a $25,000 donation to the Medic One Foundation after firefighters and paramedics from Fire Station 28 helped save Raisbeck’s life earlier this year using the techniques and skills taught in the Paramedic Training Program funded by the Medic One Foundation.

“I wanted to show my gratitude to the highly skilled paramedics and firefighters who saved my life earlier this year,” said Raisbeck. “I really am here today because they used the world class education they received through the Medic One Foundation and brought me back from near death.”

Sherry Raisbeck, who called 911 in early January after she found her husband unconscious in their Seward Park home, also credits Medic One’s paramedics and firefighters with saving her husband’s life. “We want to show our support for the Medic One Foundation and the amazing training program they fund, which really did save my husband’s life. I don’t think he would be here today, if they didn’t have the extraordinary education they have.”

Doctors told Sherry Raisbeck that they had never seen a patient with “lab work like that” walk out of the hospital before, illustrating the seriousness of the situation.

The Seattle Fire Department paramedics who treated Raisbeck are graduates of the Medic One Paramedic Training Program that exists in Seattle and King County, funded by the Medic One Foundation and widely regarded as the best and most comprehensive training program in the world. Students undergo 2,500 hours of instruction compared to the national recommendation of 1,100 and have an average of 700 patient contacts, more than three times the national average. The training program allows paramedics to provide Advanced Life Support care that, in the past, could only be performed by a licensed physician. It is a major reason why Seattle and King County achieve a survival rate for witnessed, shockable cardiac arrest of 50 percent, more than twice the rate of most cities.

Each year, the paramedic training program is funded by the Medic One Foundation solely through charitable donations. Currently, there are 280 active paramedics in King County and other communities who have graduated from this program.

“We are committed to providing a world-class training program that prepares paramedics to save lives every day,” said Medic One Foundation Executive Director Jan Sprake. “Incidents like this remind us of the importance of quality education and training for our paramedics. It literally can make the critical difference between life and death in a medical emergency. We are grateful to Mr. and Mrs. Raisbeck for their generous contribution that will help us continue to give paramedics the skills, training, and experience they need to save lives.”

For more information, or to schedule interviews with James Raisbeck or Jan Sprake please contact Lee Keller at 206-799-3805, Lee@thekellergroup.com or Kyle Moore at 206-386-1679 or kyle.moore@seattle.gov.