Medic One Foundation and The Physio Foundation Respond to Critical Equipment Shortage

SEATTLE – Fire departments that responded to Washington’s major complex fires face a critical shortage of equipment and supplies to protect their firefighters and citizens from the ongoing threat of fires and emergencies. In response to this need, the Medic One Foundation , with major grant support from The Physio Foundation , is awarding grants to fire departments in Centralia, Gold Bar, Auburn, Belfair, Okanogan, Omak, Ravensdale, Cle Elum, Ellensburg, Mossyrock, Colville, Mansfield, Ephrata and Mattawa, Wash.

“Helping these communities equip and support their local firefighters is essential to helping them be ready for the next fires they may encounter,” said Renee Hartnett, a Foundation Director for the Physio Foundation.

The grants from the Medic One Foundation will be used to replace damaged wildland protective gear for firefighters and to purchase tools and equipment that were damaged beyond repair during the 2015 wildland fire season.

“Many of the fire departments that respond to these major complex fires are predominantly volunteer staffed and have very limited resources,” said Jan Sprake, Executive Director of the Medic One Foundation. “Our grants will help prepare them for the next fire season.”

“However, there is still a critical need,” said Ms. Sprake. “We received more than 40 requests for urgent support, and we simply don’t have the funding to respond to them all.” Donations to the Medic One Foundation Wildfire Fund can be made online at mediconefoundation.org .

The Medic One Foundation is a local nonprofit dedicated to ensuring the quality of our region’s pre-hospital emergency care by funding paramedic training, research and equipment to help first responders save lives. The Physio Foundation was created by Redmond, Wash. based emergency medical response company Physio-Control to “Support and advance emergency response in underserved communities.”

(For more information about the Medic One Foundation or to interview Jan Sprake, Executive Director of the Medic One Foundation, contact Lee Keller, (206) 799-3805, lee@thekellergroup.com or Margo Jasukaitis, (206) 227-3625, margo@thekellergroup.com)