“Had it not been for the
expert training…Katie
would have died.”
Katie Bergum and her parents, Rick and
Theresa, never could have imagined the
scenario that unfolded on a Sunday
afternoon in June. When 24-year-old
Katie complained of a severe leg cramp,
her parents massaged her leg and applied a
cream for sore muscles. But her pain
escalated. She began sweating and gasping
for breath. Her heart raced and she grew
faint. Her parents dialed 911.
World-class Education Saves Lives | 2
"If I was down to my last penny, I’d still
donate to the Medic One Foundation!”
Best Care in the Whole World | 3
Paramedic Students Prepare for Any
Emergency Medical Situation
Intense Training Drill Prepares Paramedics | 5
Local firefighter-EMTs arrived within minutes to the
Bergum home in South King County. Immediately
assessing that Katie was very sick, they radioed her
symptoms to Medic One paramedics who were already en
route. Moments later, Troy Blonski and Matt Riesenberg
arrived and determined that Katie likely had a pulmonary
embolism—a condition that is often fatal if not treated
immediately. A blood clot in her leg had traveled and was
blocking her pulmonary artery, preventing her lungs from
oxygenating her blood.
While explaining to Katie’s parents what they were doing
and why, the paramedics started an I.V. to deliver
medications to temporarily paralyze her. This allowed them
to quickly intubate her and take control of her airway,
delivering oxygen manually.
On the way to the ER, Katie’s heart stopped. Blonski and
Riesenberg performed CPR for six
minutes until they reached the hospital, where the ER staff continued CPR
and administered clot-busting drugs. Katie spent a week in
the hospital, and has since fully recovered.
The Bergum family realizes how extraordinarily lucky
Katie is. “Had it not been for the expert training,
exceptional care, and quick action on the part of the Medic
One team, Katie would have died.” Rick says, “Today, we
have an even greater respect for these vital services. Thank
you again and again.”
Katie Bergum is joined by the firefighters who helped save her life.
2 | Fall 2013
mediconefoundation.org | (206) 744-9425
Here’s one thing Alice Jones knows for sure: “The Vial of
L.I.F.E. saved my life. It’s the only reason I’m here today.”
And here’s another thing the feisty 75-year-old believes:
“My life was spared for a reason. I have the energy, the
determination, and the fire to spread the word about this
program, and that’s what I’m doing.”
The Vial of L.I.F.E. (Lifesaving Information for Emergencies) contains a form for people to record important
medical information, and is kept at home in the door of
the refrigerator, where firefighters and paramedics are
trained to look for them.
Alice Jones has been a passionate spokesperson for the
Vial of L.I.F.E. since her near-death experience in 2011.
While attending a retreat for seniors in rural southwest
Washington, her heart stopped. Bystanders started CPR
immediately. When firefighters and paramedics arrived,
they instructed Alice’s friends to go to her room and
search for any medications she was taking. Amazingly,
Doris Jennings is a super-supporter
of the Medic One Foundation. She
and her husband, Norman, began
donating in the 1980s, and since
Norman’s death in 2005, Doris
considers her monthly gifts to the
Foundation an important way to
honor him. “Whenever I see Medic One go whizzing by,”
Doris says, “I know that our paramedics are going to be
there in no time flat, and whoever is in trouble is going to
receive the best care in the whole world.”
At a recent Medic One Foundation event, Doris, 86 yearsold, spoke with several members of the current paramedic
training class. “I was so impressed with how dedicated
they all are, and how eager and grateful they are to get this
training so they can serve the community.” She adds, “A lot
of my friends have cut back on charitable giving, and times
are tough right now. But if I was down to my last penny,
I’d still donate to the Medic One Foundation!”
3 | Fall 2013
there they found Alice’s Vial of L.I.F.E. It listed her medical conditions and the medicines she was taking, which
included serious allergies to penicillin and latex. “I don’t
know what made me take my Vial out of the fridge and
tuck it in my suitcase before I left home,” Alice explains.
Firefighters and paramedics worked on her for 40 minutes
and shocked her heart several times before transporting
her to the nearest hospital. “I died three times with the
paramedics,” Alice says.
But Alice beat all the odds. She has purchased hundreds
of Vials herself, which she gives to virtually everyone she
meets, asking them to buy more and pass them along to
friends and family. “A few weeks ago,” Alice says, “I spoke
to a group of 75 seniors, and only four of them were
aware of the program. We’ve got to get the word out!”
The Vial may be purchased through the Foundation with
proceeds benefiting the paramedic training program. Call
(206) 744-9425 or go online at mediconefoundation.org.
We invite you to become a First Responder for the Medic
One Foundation.
Through an easy and affordable automatic monthly
donation from your credit card, you can enjoy the convenience and benefit of monthly giving while ensuring
that the Medic One Foundation has a consistent and
reliable source of income to support the paramedic
training program. Here are some examples of what your
donation will do:
žž $15 monthly will purchase medical equipment for
one paramedic student.
žž $25 monthly provides six hours of instruction.
žž $50 monthly covers the cost of wrecked cars for
extrication drills.
žž $100 quarterly can provide medical books for one
paramedic student.
mediconefoundation.org | (206) 744-9425
Residents of Mirabella Seattle, a downtown retirement
community, have made a generous gift of $50,000 to the
Medic One Foundation. Their donation will provide two
paramedic-training scholarships for this year's class.
The residents' collective interest in Medic One was sparked
in June of 2012, when the Foundation hosted a small
thank-you luncheon at Mirabella for recent donors. Among
the attendees was Mirabella resident Dr. Floyd Short, a
retired Seattle cardiologist who is a member of the Medic
One Foundation
board. Those who
attended spoke so
highly of the presentation, word spread to other residents
who said they'd like to learn more. So in June of 2013,
another luncheon was held for all interested residents, and
nearly 100 attended.
For this event, Short spoke about the history of Seattle
Medic One, including its revolutionary launch in 1969 and
his own experiences training paramedics. Phillip Kennedy—nephew of Mirabella resident Toni Kennedy—and
Fifteen students representing emergency services providers
throughout our region have been accepted into the Medic
One Paramedic Training Program. Training began in
October and will extend through July. They will undergo
2,500 hours of rigorous training, including classroom
instruction, clinical rotations at Seattle Children’s, UW
Medical Center, and Harborview Medical Center, as well
as extensive field training under the supervision of
experienced senior paramedics. Welcome class No. 40!
Seattle Fire Department: David Barber, Gene Goodner,
Jason Lynch, Becky Mathews, Joseph Tibig; Marysville
Fire Department: Chad Bonner; Lake Stevens Fire
Department: Lisa Defenbaugh; North Kitsap Fire &
Rescue: Garren Dukes, Nocholas Johnson; King County
EMS: Nicholas Fugate, Tahlia Mills, Kristen Sloboden;
Everett Fire Department: Jack Murrin; Bellevue Fire
Department: Daniel Robbs, Ronald Rood.
4 | Fall 2013
his wife Anne told how Phillip had sudden and severe
chest pains. The responding paramedics diagnosed a rare,
often fatal aortic condition, and transported him to the
hospital for emergency surgery. Three senior paramedics
also shared their experiences being on the front line of
emergency care.
Short recalls, "Virtually all the residents in the audience
had called 911 for themselves or a loved one. Some of our
residents recognized one or more of the visiting paramedics. We were amazed that in some cases the paramedics
remembered these residents, too—and details of the calls!
That was quite a connection." Residents have continued to
donate to the Medic One Foundation in the months since
the lunch, as has the Mirabella Foundation.
"For our group, supporting Medic One is a smart investment," Short adds. "We are heavy users of Seattle's
emergency medical services. Almost everyone here at
Mirabella has experienced extraordinary—and in some
cases life-saving—care provided by Medic One."
The Medic One Paramedic Training Program, supported
entirely by charitable contributions since 1974, is a
major reason why Medic One paramedics consistently
achieve patient survival rates of 57% for witnessed,
shockable sudden cardiac arrest—more than twice
the rate of most major cities including New York, Los
Angeles, Chicago, and Detroit, where survival rates are
less than 10%.
Class No. 40 with Randolph Mantooth, actor and EMS/Fire Service
advocate, recognized for his role as Paramedic John Gage on NBC's
popular TV series EMERGENCY!
mediconefoundation.org | (206) 744-9425
On a Saturday morning in January, as many Bainbridge Island residents enjoyed their
first cup of coffee, Medic One paramedic students were getting a pep talk before a
day of intense training drills at the Bainbridge Island Fire Department. “We know
this is tough,” said Lt. John Fisk, a Medical Services Officer with the Seattle Fire
Department. “We know you’re feeling overloaded. But as much as you can, relax
and try to have some fun. We’re all here to help you.” The Bainbridge Island Fire
Department organizes and hosts the drills every January. Its station house was
packed with more than 50 firefighters, senior paramedics, emergency physicians,
and other volunteers.
The paramedic students worked their way through several different emergency
medical situations. All required resuscitation and administering medications, plus
radio communication with the emergency room doctor, and transport to the
ER—the fire station’s truck bay. Each student was closely observed by both senior
paramedics and emergency physicians. In every scenario, firefighters were the first
responders, briefing the paramedic students when they arrived, and providing expert
assistance, such as administering chest compressions. Senior
paramedics created each scenario and role-played patients and
bystanders. Using remote-control devices, they also manipulated
the vital signs of the training manikins being treated. Among
the senior paramedics were Corey Mouer and Brian Wallace, who were students
three years ago. “Okay, let’s cook up something good,” Wallace began as he and
Mouer conspired to create yet another crisis. “How about an asthmatic who’s in
respiratory distress, but reporting severe chest pain. Maybe we can throw them off
a bit…”
Wallace and Mouer empathized with the students’ anxiety. “It’s so painful to be on
that side,” Mouer said. “It’s a relief to be the guy pushing the buttons instead of the
guy sweating it out. That’s why I really try to be encouraging.” In each scenario, in
addition to taking control of medical emergencies, as paramedics must, the students
also took turns role-playing the emergency room physicians who answer the radio
calls and receive the units at the ER. “The ER physician is ‘blind’ to every aspect of
the patient coming in from the field,” explained Jerry Ehrler, Paramedic Training
Program Education Coordinator. “Only the spoken words via radio or phone from
the paramedic on scene help the doctor ‘see’ the patient and assist in the course of
treatment. Paramedic students need to be in that ER doctor’s shoes to really learn
the art of effective medical communication.”
So, what are these training drills like for the paramedic students? To have every
move scrutinized, every word overheard? And then, after each drill, to be critiqued
by firefighters, seasoned paramedics, and emergency room doctors? One sweating
student grinned and summed it up: “It’s the most excruciating fun I’ve ever had!”
5 | Fall 2013
mediconefoundation.org | (206) 744-9425
Thanks to Lifesavers & Legends Sponsors
The Medic One Foundation gratefully acknowledges our Lifesavers & Legends event sponsors.
First Responders
American Medical Response
Aviation Partners Boeing
UW Medicine
Foss Family Foundation
Dispatchers
John & Kay McGary
Perkins Coie
Seattle Children's
Event Emcee Patti Payne interviews this year's Legends, Randolph
Mantooth, Lenny Wilkens, and Suzanna Darcy-Hennemann.
6 | Fall 2013
Event guests enjoy bidding on a wide array of silent auction items.
mediconefoundation.org | (206) 744-9425