Conversations with Euell Santistevan

Today we’d like to introduce you to Euell Santistevan.

Hi Euell, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
I am a Native Coloradoan. Born in Trinidad Colorado and raised in Denver from the age of two years old. I went to Denver Public Schools until I reached High School and we moved to the Westminster area. I graduated H.S. and then joined the United States Marine Corps. When I got out of the Marines, I went to Arizona and received my BS in Business. I finally returned to Colorado for the beautiful scenery and started working for a small tech company to pay the bills. I ran into another employee who was volunteering at an Ambulance service in the Northern Metro area, he asked if I wanted to do a ride along and I did.

One turned to two and then another and so on. I was there so much that they asked me if I wanted to go to EMT- B school and if they would pay. I loved it, so I attended and started working there and in other aspects of Emergency medicine. I worked so many concerts as a Medic at the Fiddlers Green Amphitheater and so many other great places. The pay is not the greatest, so I needed to have multiple jobs, but it was consistent. I ended my 25-year career working as EMS and Security Chief for a large S.E. Denver over 55 community. We served as the main response for all medical and security calls within the 75-building community with over 4,000 residents depending on us 24 hours per day. I learned that even in the most dire of situations, it could be anywhere from 8- 12 minutes for Emergency Medical Response and upwards of 45 minutes for Police response. Not because they aren’t doing their jobs, but because they are spread so thin and need help.

This is where we came in, to be first on scene within two minutes of any call on the property and doing what needed to be done until the cavalry arrived. I retired from there in July of 2020 during the pandemic. I decided it was time to move on and took all of my 401(k) and retirement savings and decided to invest in myself. This is when I started SAFETY Certified Training, LLC. Our main focus was to provide real-world training in Self- protection and Medical basics in CPR and First Aid. As we started to take on more clientele we realized we needed to add more complete services to our menu and we took on C.O.B.R.A.

Self-Defense Systems is a worldwide leader in reality-based Self- defense. Since undertaking the Denver Authorization of C.O.B.R.A. we have been able to expand our reality based training to include our half day Self- defense classes for Teens and Adults, Our Child Abduction Prevention, Anti- Bullying program, Protection Specialist, and even our Real Estate Agent Safety specific training. Along with all of our offerings, we provide travel-based training when needed anywhere we are needed. This includes Corporate and Private clients. We also offer our one-of-a-kind Active Threat/Shooter Training to those who want this important reality-based class.

We believe the Training can Save Lives and that until you are put under stress you don’t know how you are going to react to an actual emergency. Learning about it, but having a small taste of stress truly drives home what you may or may not do. Whether we are showing you that even with 40 feet between you and an attacker, you don’t have time to make a 911 call and even if you do, you still have to wait on a national average of 11- 15 minutes for Help to arrive. Which means you are stuck with your attacker for that 11- 15 minutes.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Smooth roads are made for those who won’t make it in the real world. We have had our challenges along the way and we will continue to have them as we move forward. Violence of all types is on our news feeds online, all over social media, on our nightly news, and even in our online articles. The biggest problem we have as humans is our ability to wish these things wouldn’t happen at all. But not prepare ourselves for the realities of the world. We tend to disassociate ourselves from these things that we see regularly and say things like “That will never happen to me” or “That could never happen to my family”.

This is the wrong attitude toward protecting your number one asset, you! We take insurance out on our cars, boats, houses, and even our phones. But most people do not feel it is a good investment to get some training to protect themselves. You can’t buy car insurance after an accident and if you don’t take training before an incident, by then it is too late. We are a society of spending $150/Month on our coffee, spending almost nothing on our training for self-preservation.

Women, teens, the elderly, and the handicapped are our primary clients and this has got to change. We need to set our egos aside and realize that this type of training is for everyone regardless of who you are and what your occupation is.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
We specialize in self-defense of all types. I grew up being bullied and physically bullied going through school. It is my mission to teach as many people as possible that they do not have to be victims and can fight back. My career in the Military and EMS shows my commitment to the safety of my country and my community. I have spent a lifetime protecting and serving. I still do this now, just in a different capacity.

I got tired of showing up after the mess has been made. I want to teach and be part of the education that prevents these types of incidents. Whether it is domestic in a home or an attack out in public, our mission is to show people they can protect themselves.

What matters most to you? Why?
Once again, the ability to teach and educate as many people as we can and touch as many lives as we can. To hear that our training helped someone and it made a difference. That we made a difference to someone.

We gave them the mindset, knowledge, and skill set to save their life or at the very least keep them from becoming a victim.

Pricing:

• $85 to $499 Individual classes and 10-week Academy
• $599 Starting point for groups of 10 or more
• Corporate and Group Rates
• Travel anywhere
• Customized curriculums

Contact Info:

• Website: https://safetycertifiedtraining.com
• Instagram: @cobradefensedenver
• Facebook: COBRA Self-Defense Denver Metro
• Twitter: @DENVERCOBRA
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCevzTvYgeifSIX1VvW9i71A
• Other: @COBRADEFENSEDENVER