The Seattle Fire Department's Medic One Program began in 1970 when the first group of firefighters were trained as Paramedics in cooperation with Harborview Medical Center and the University of Washington.

Since then, Seattle's Medic One Program has become world famous due to the training, dedication and first-rate pre-hospital emergency patient care Paramedics deliver within the community.

Medic One directly provides the City of Seattle with Advanced Life Support activities that, in the past, could only be performed by licensed physicians.  The Department responds to approximately 28,000 Basic Life Support (BLS) alarms and 25,000 Advanced Life Support (ALS) alarms per year.  In addition to these alarms, the Paramedics respond on all working fires, hazardous materials and rescue responses.

Paramedic Training

To become a Paramedic, department firefighters must apply for the position and if accepted, begin a year-long training program under the close supervision of the Medical Director at Harborview Medical Center and veteran Paramedics.  Paramedic trainees must successfully complete this intensive 3,000 hour worth of instruction and hands-on training.

After completion of their training, Paramedics are required to complete 50 additional hours of medical education annually.  They are also required to document performance of required skills in excess of State requirements in order to maintain certification as an Advanced Life Support Paramedic by the University of Washington School of Medicine.  These hours are divided into a formal lecture series relating to paramedicine, other medicine-related lectures, alarm review with the Medical Director and teaching EMS-related subjects.

The Future

Medic One celebrates over 25 years of service to the citizens of Seattle and continues to enjoy a world class reputation; especially for cardiac arrest and its Citizen CPR Training Program (Medic II).  The Medic One Program continues to bring physicians, program directors and dignitaries from around the world to learn more about the training and advanced life support techniques Seattle Fire Department Paramedics provide within this community.