Today we’d like to introduce you to Joseph Krikorian.
Hi Joseph, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I am the founder and CEO of Code 3 Life Support Education. I oversee all educational operations and lead the non-profit organization Code 3 Angels, providing life-saving training internationally.
I emigrated to the United States from Beirut, Lebanon at the age of 14. It was my childhood dream to become a public servant. I achieved this goal by becoming a paramedic firefighter for 15 years.
I furthered my efforts in the building of Code 3 Life. In our 20 years as an American Heart Association Training Center, the company has become the leading provider of basic to advanced cardiac life support education. Most recently, Code 3 became a Tactical Emergency Casualty Care course provider.
Our broad clientele includes the Kaiser School of Anesthesiology Technician, Huntington Health Physicians Pediatric Office, Pacific Clinics, Modern Support Services, the Pasadena Fire Department, Pasadena City College Police Department, and Child Development Center, and Pasadena Public Works, as well as many others throughout Southern California.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Starting and maintaining a successful business involves overcoming various obstacles. Like any other small business, there are challenges in keeping up with technological advancements, industry changes, and unexpected events like a pandemic.
I’ve always been someone who wants to push myself to expand my business. Expanding from basic cardiac life support education to Tactical Emergency Casualty Care courses required years of strategic planning, additional resources, and meeting specific accreditation and certification standards. Further, working with notable clients like the Pasadena Fire Department and other public institutions is undoubtedly something we’ve had to work hard for. Establishing credibility in the industry is extremely important. It requires gaining trust, maintaining high-quality training standards, and keeping up with advancements in life support education.
Overall, all the long hours of studying, teaching, and outreach have only helped me become more determined.
As you know, we’re big fans of Code 3 Life Support Education. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Code 3 Life Support Education was started in 2003 and is based on the fundamental principle that human life is fragile and valuable.
Many medical and traumatic conditions can be effectively managed while emergency crews are on the way. We believe that it is imperative that not only those in the healthcare profession but also those throughout the community be aware and have the skills to handle unexpected emergencies.
The instructors at Code 3 Life Support Education consist of licensed Paramedics, Physician Assistants, RNs, and EMTs and have a combined teaching experience of more than 20 years. All of our staff currently work in Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside, and Ventura counties, keeping them in practice and up to date on the latest treatments used in the field.
It is our mission to provide a comfortable and relaxed learning environment while teaching practical and critical skills.
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
I have always considered myself a risk-taker. After moving to the States as a teenager with a single mother, I knew that working hard and taking risks would be the only way to succeed. We didn’t come here with money or abundant resources. I learned English as I went through the American public school system. In my mind, it would have been riskier for me not to work hard than to waste the opportunities my mother brought me to America for.
Going into the Emergency Medical field can be viewed as risky. There are tough physical and mental demands every day. Leaving my stable career as a paramedic and starting my own business was the biggest risk I’ve ever taken. As a small business owner, there are no hours, especially in the beginning. It was years of work building to where we are now. I’m proud of the risks I’ve taken and don’t believe I’d be where I am today if I had not taken those jumps.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://code3life.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/code3life/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Code3LifeSupport
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/code-3-life-support-education-sierra-madre
