About NCW Health & Safety
Meet the Founder
NCW Health & Safety was founded with a simple goal: to make high-quality emergency medical training accessible, practical, and relevant to the communities of North Central Washington.
We provide CPR, First Aid, BLS, and emergency medical training for individuals, businesses, schools, healthcare professionals, first responders, and community organizations. Our courses focus on more than simply completing a certification, we want every student to leave feeling more knowledgeable, capable, and confident in their ability to respond when an emergency happens.
As a locally owned and operated business, we're proud to serve the communities of North Central Washington and provide training built around the needs of the people and organizations we work with.
Hello, and thank you for taking the time to learn more about NCW Health & Safety. My name is Gage Island, and I have spent the past 14 years working in Emergency Medical Services. During that time, I have served as a frontline provider, shift supervisor, training officer, and agency director, giving me the opportunity to respond to emergencies, support crews, train new providers, and help lead emergency services in my community.
Throughout my career, I have developed a strong passion for serving my community and helping others feel prepared when emergencies happen. Working in EMS has shown me how important the first few minutes of an emergency can be. Whether it's starting CPR, controlling serious bleeding, recognizing a medical emergency, or simply knowing what to do until help arrives, having the knowledge and confidence to act can make a meaningful difference.
I believe emergency preparedness isn't just for first responders. Individuals, businesses, schools, workplaces, and community organizations all have a role in creating more prepared communities. That's why my approach to training is practical, approachable, and focused on real-world situations. I want students to leave class not only knowing what to do, but feeling confident that they can do it.
Another important part of my work has been supporting the people who respond to emergencies. I am trained in Peer Support and Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) and believe that caring for responders is an important part of building strong and healthy emergency services.
I founded NCW Health & Safety as a way to bring my experience and passion for education back to the communities I serve. Whether I'm teaching someone CPR for the first time, helping a business prepare its employees for emergencies, or helping develop the next generation of EMS providers, my goal is the same: provide useful, hands-on education that prepares people for real situations.
At the heart of NCW Health & Safety is a simple belief: when people have the skills, confidence, and willingness to act, our communities are better prepared when it matters most.
Our Approach
We believe great training should be practical, engaging, and relevant to real life. Our courses combine hands-on practice with straightforward instruction to help students understand not only what to do, but why it matters.
We strive to create a comfortable and supportive learning environment where questions are encouraged and students can build skills at their own pace. Whether you're learning CPR for the first time or refreshing skills you've used throughout your career, our goal is for you to leave feeling more knowledgeable, prepared, and confident.
Because every group is different, we also work to make training relevant to the people in the room, using realistic scenarios and examples that connect what you learn in class to situations you may actually encounter.
Our goal isn't simply to help you complete a course. It's to help you feel prepared to act when it matters most.
