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 The Medic One System is a concept of advanced medical care that was born in the early 1970s in Seattle and now covers all of King County. The system is known throughout the world as the best of its kind, not for the heroics of the staff, but for the active participation of the citizens of our region. The system literally begins and ends with the citizens of the community. Seattle and King County citizens have made the choice to be active participants in the lives of the people around them by helping their neighbor or loved one at the time of their greatest need.
The Medic One System requires citizens to be an active participants in the system by supporting it and by helping the people in our community by:
- Recognizing when a fellow citizen needs medical care.
- Calling 911 to activate the Medic One System.
- Helping a family member, or neighbor, until Medic One arrives.
The real difference in patient care is made in the first 10 minutes. The citizens make the first and greatest difference. This is a unique endeavor that would not work in other areas of the country. Our culture and lifestyle is dependent on our ability to look out for the well being of one another.
Active citizen participants in the Medic One System are a vital link in the "Chain of Survival". Follow the links below to find out more about each element of the Medic One System and your place in it.
King County Medic One Overview -- Video |
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Enhanced 911 Dispatch Centers |
The first link in the "Chain of Survival" is access to the Enhanced 911 system. This system gives dispatchers the exact location and phone number of a 911 caller, speeding response and ensuring a response even if a caller cannot speak or does not know where they are.
Citizen Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) |
Citizen CPR is the second link in the "Chain of Survival". Studies done by the Seattle Medic One System in the 1970's proved that a patient's chances of surviving and "out of hospital" cardiac arrest are considerably increased if citizens trained in CPR begin rescue breathing and chest compressions immediately.
Basic Life Support (BLS) Medical Services |
Basic Life Support (BLS) Medical Services are the third link in the "Chain of Survival". BLS services in the Medic One System are provided by a network of Fire Departments throughout the county. One crucial BLS service provided by these departments is cardiac defibrillation. Defibrillation shocks a chaotic cardiac rhythm, without a pulse, back into a regular pulsing rhythm.
Advanced Life Support (ALS) Medical Services |
Advanced Life Support (ALS) Medical Services are the fourth and final link of the "Chain of Survival". ALS services bring a "mobile emergency room' to the scene of an accident or illness. Paramedics in King County are some of the best in the world, but without the other three elements of the "Chain of Survival", there is no Medic One System.
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