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Meet Eric “Odie” Roth of Colorado CPR & AED – and – K9 First-aid and CPR in Westminster

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Today we’d like to introduce you to Eric “Odie” Roth.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I am a third-generation firefighter, great-grandson to one of the very first firefighters to pull a horse-drawn steamer for The Denver Fire Department. My Uncle and Cousin also retired from the fire service several years ago, so you might say my lineage brought me to the fire service. After High School, I joined a Volunteer Fire Department and began my pursuit of becoming a professional firefighter. However, I needed an income to bridge the gap between my dream and the reality of life. Over the next few years, I sold complex hydraulic systems and then transitioned to selling over the road semi-tractor trailers for the transportation industry. It was a great fit for me personally, as sales was very natural for me. I spent countless hours entertaining clients with golf trips, travel, dinners and sporting events. My love of sales and natural ability soon led to handsome paychecks and big opportunities. Ultimately, the success of the almighty dollar led me to abandon my dream of being a firefighter.

In the spring of 2005, my Father passed away unexpectedly. This heartrending event stunned me, shook me to my core. Suddenly, I was confronted by reality and a pressing need arose to take stock in my life. Those looking in believed I had it all, “The Quintessential: American Dream.” A lucrative job, countless perks, high profile business transactions and prestige. For all I had, only after my Father’s death realized I was empty! My passion and personal satisfaction were non-existent. As I reflected on my new normal I knew in my heart I needed to realign with my childhood dreams of being in the Fire Service. I left the corporate world of sales as I renewed my quest of becoming a firefighter.

Looking forward, I have now been in the Fire Service for over 23 years. After a short stint as a firefighter, I had the opportunity to promote and become a Paramedic with the department. Today, I am one of three specially trained SAM (Safety and Medical) Officers for The Westminster Fire Department. Throughout my career, I have been immersed in training and education. This involvement opened up a whole new world and out of it, something special blossomed. I discovered I had a true passion to teach. This passion led to my involvement in education and instructing throughout the Denver Metro Area. I have been blessed to mentor, train and instruct hundreds of individuals in programs such as: Advanced Cardiac Life Support, Pediatric Life Support, Human CPR and First-aid. I currently hold the role as a Faculty Member with the American Heart Association. In 2009, I started Colorado CPR and AED; to date, I have trained well over 4,000 people in life-saving skills. Teaching provides great rewards. These rewards come in many forms. I have traveled to Costa Rica to help develop an entire EMS system from the ground up. I have been honored as a hometown hero at an NHL Stadium Series game and most recently traveled to the Black Rock Desert to work as a Paramedic at Burning Man.

The next part of my “Tail” isn’t as cheerful, but it changed me inexplicably and fueled my passion for my teaching. You see, intertwined in this story, is the story of a special Saint Bernard named Sampson. He was vibrant, sweet, attentive, affectionate and had a personality even the staunchest Grinch would love. Now, there are those who say “good things can come from tragedy”. Well, “my good thing” emerged one night while purchasing new manikins online for my human CPR business. As I poured over varying brands, styles and countless options, I was unexpectedly presented with the most unique manikin- a dog!

This immediately brought me back to a time where I was witness to watching Sampson take his last breath. I lost Sampson to a condition called Bloat or GDV (Gastric Dilation Volvulus.) He died within 45 minutes. I felt myself choke back tears as I again felt the grief and agony from losing my best friend. Never have I loved so deeply and to have it taken away in a matter of moments was devastating. I had no formal training in dogs, no way to know how badly he was suffering, and no idea he was in the fight of his life. As I came back to reality, I sat staring at my monitor looking at this dog manikin. I was not aware they had K9 First-aid and CPR classes, I thought. Perhaps if I would have taken a class and had some training, maybe, just maybe Sampson’s outcome could have been different. In search of finding a course, I was quite astonished to discover no such course existed. Sure, there were bits of information here and there or a class which covered a few topics, but nothing concrete, no “All-in-one package.” I then had an idea that unknowingly would change my destiny. I asked why not create one? I could fill the void as there is no 911 for dogs. I could utilize my years of training and experience working as a Paramedic in a busy 911 system and combine it with my love for dogs and teaching. I started to look at it like this- If you want to learn how to bake, you go to a baker. If you want to learn how to save a life, you go to a Paramedic!

Now, dogs certainly aren’t small humans, however the body functions are quite similar- they have blood and they bleed, they have lungs and they breathe. They have bones that break and have the ability to eat something poisonous. Dogs are placed in situations where they become injured or even killed. The ASPCA publishes that as many as 1 in 4 dogs could have a dramatically better outcome if only one first aid technique was applied prior to arriving at the Veterinarian. That fact is great to know but I was not able to find a training course to teach me how to apply the techniques.

On a whim, I sent an email to five Doggie Day Cares inquiring if a “Paramedic” based course on how to provide first-aid to dogs would benefit their program. By ten o’clock the next morning, four of the five had responded. To my total dismay, I wanted to schedule a class! Keep in mind, at this juncture, I had no equipment, manikins, course content, or even a clue what I was embarking on. Over the next few weeks, I ordered a dog manikin, supplies, equipment and developed my first K9 First-Aid and CPR course. In order to pull this off, I had my course vetted by several Veterinarians to ensure my material was current, identifiable, practical, and would transition between humans and dogs.

In August of 2009, I held my first pilot class. Three people were in attendance from a local doggie daycare. These three had incredible backgrounds involving canine care and were members of a large daycare chain. I presented my course to the owner, a division manager, and the facility manager. After the class ended, I took a breathe and waited for the worst as I felt the class was lacking and incomplete. To my surprise, all three indicated the class was the best K9 class they’d ever taken! Before I left, all three unanimously agreed they wanted to move forward and schedule classes to train their staff.

From inception to the pilot program, we have grown, seen our share of ups and downs and advanced the program and course content, all while maintaining its core values, beliefs and paramedic roots. I am proud to say we have trained over 2500 people in K9 First-aid and CPR. The class was born from tragedy, developed due to necessity, strengthened by medicine. In 2018 we were thrilled to welcome Dr. Lisa Booth DVM to our team. With Dr. Booth’s education and expertise, the program and course content has soared to new heights. Everyone at K9 First-Aid and CPR is proud to be part of this special program and our dedication and attention to the little things has given us the opportunity to offer a variety of courses. We have in-person classes that are held monthly and offer a variety of online courses available including specific classes for Pet Sitters that includes Cats.

Has it been a smooth road?
This question made me laugh. This journey has been anything but smooth and still today has its challenges. Let me tackle this in pieces. When you start a business from the ground up, it is important to understand that you are it. You will have to be the subject matter expert on many aspects of your business and you must not let what you do not know stand in your way. Always stay determined! If you do not have a pile of money to throw at your needs, you quickly will be learning how to provide these essential functions yourself. After many hours on youtube, you then create a website and accounts on all social media platforms. When it is time to advertise, look no further as you are yet to have an advertising department. It’s back to youtube university to learn how to change aspects of photos and to create flyers. Having an information technology department would have been nice but that is under your realm as well. Time to purchase a computer and printer along with upgrades to your internet service. Want to create an online course? It’s time to purchase an expensive camera, studio lights, wireless mics, photo sensors and learn how to use a green screen. After you shoot the video, you then become the editing department where you separate audio from video, edit, add, cut and add some transitions and some music. Oh yea, the music can’t be copyrighted! How are your math skills? You will also need to be an accounting specialist to take care of the funds going in and out and do not forget you have to present these numbers on your next tax return. Looking back, I am amazed I have come this far. After all, I was just a Paramedic with a passion to teach yet I am faced with the entire responsibility of the inner works of a small business. There were many opportunities where I could have given up and said I can’t do this. It can be overwhelming! Many times I feared I was doing so many things at once, I was not doing any one thing well. I would tell someone walking in my steps to be vigilant and make yourself a better you every day and to stay the course of your dreams. Tell yourself it is ok to take even small steps, just keep moving!

One of the greatest struggles were employees. As the course gained popularity, I needed additional instructors. My first few instructors, I put a great deal on them. There was an expectation they would be as motivated as myself and go out and search for business. That was far from reality as many of them just wanted to be spoon-fed. That was a huge mistake to try to hire mini-me’s. Diversity is an important aspect as well as empowering employees to take some form of ownership on day to day business and course presentation. The common thread I share with everyone now involved with K9 First-aid and CPR is we all have a great deal of passion, a desire to teach, and a love for dogs. Each component is an integral part of our moral fibers.

Understand your “Why.” There were many “Why’s” along the way that keeps me focused. After one of my first classes, I was loading some manikins into my vehicle and noticed one of the students was just sitting in her vehicle. I took another load out and noticed that she had not moved. I approached the car only to find her crying. I asked if she was ok, and she replied, “Yes” before I could say another word, she told me “Thank you” as she has an older dog who is diagnosed with cancer and does not have long to live. She was afraid she would not recognize the signs when to go to the Vet and she can no longer live in fear. That conversation left me speechless as I never once had any intention to take away fear from students. It was simply a byproduct of the class. Today on our student worksheet we have the quote “ Never Let Fear Be Larger Than Your Purpose”

Today I am still faced with challenges. With our online classes complete, I feel much of our future success will be heavily based on successful advertising. Notice I said successful. Anyone can advertise but to do it successfully is a whole other story. The power of analytics is amazing. To apply the numbers is not a job for a Paramedic. We currently have a void as that person is not in place. It is our hope we can find a partner with an advertising background with the same passion and love for dogs as we do.

We’d love to hear more about your work.
We are proud that we trained over 2500 students in K9 First-aid and CPR since 2009. We offer in-person classes that cover over 20 topics including splinting, bandaging, how to control bleeding, snake bites, how to perform the Heimlich on a choking dog, bloat, CPR and much more. One thing we focus on is how to “read” the dog for signs of aggression and to see if the dog is approachable to provide care. One intangible student have after the course is confidence. Confidence in the ability to take care of their dog in any emergency. We tailored separate classes for Doggy Day Care providers and we will travel anywhere in the United States for large groups. We also have a course specifically for Police, Fire, and EMS. The EMS provider course is specific to Colorado State Bill 14-139 that was passed into law in 2014, allowing EMS providers to provide emergency medical care to cats and dogs.

It did not take long before my class through social media had significant organic growth. This prompted me to author and publish my book called “K9 MEDIC”. K9 MEDIC is available for purchase at: http://cprforcanines.com/k9-medic-book. If someone was to tell me someday I would ever be a published author, I would have laughed. Authoring a book is not an easy feat as the process was about 16 months. It is an amazing feeling to see your book on the shelves.

This has been an exciting year for us! On June 1st as we debuted our first online course. The course is self paced and students learn all aspects of K9 emergency care, with lectures, demonstrations and viewing of hands-on skills practice. Initially, I had some reservations about creating an online course as online certifications seem to carry a stigma and at times, do not hold much merit. It was important that our course did not carry that image. As part of the course, we do require the students to upload videos of themselves doing the skills so we can correct techniques and intervene as in a traditional classroom setting. Students get one on one instruction from our Veterinarian Dr. Lisa Booth. We also hold students accountable to the material that is being shown as we require an 80% passing grade to be certified. The Course has a 60 day completion period once registered and the certification is valid for three years. We also wanted to price the course very reasonably. The cost for our Dog Owner course is $45.00.

On October 1st, we released our course specifically for Pet Sitters. This Pet First-aid course is designed specifically for the Pet Sitter and includes both Cats and Dogs. Students learn all aspects of emergency pet care, with lectures, demonstrations and viewing of hands-on skills practice. This program is a must for any Pet Sitter who needs knowledge and education. The course also offers tools to start a Pet Sitting business including interview checklists, how to prepare for your clients, and most of all, how to care for the pet you are in charge of keeping healthy and injury-free.

What are you most proud of as a company?
Surprisingly this is difficult to answer for me. I could take the easy route and tell you I am most proud that we save lives. Words can not express the feeling I receive when I open an email that starts out something like this: Odie- You will never believe what happened… and they go on to tell me how they handled the emergency and they were able to save their dog. The Bloat stories I receive can bring me to tears as they share photos of their dog who is alive and well because of our training. It is in that moment I am able to take time to reflect on what we do and the hard work and passion our instructors put into each course. We often ask students if they have a “bucket list”. One thing you should put on your list is to save a life. Saving a life is so rewarding. To know you made a significant difference in someone’s life is priceless.

What sets you apart from others?
It all starts with a terrible business model. I made the decision early that If a former student who attended the in-person course wants to take a refresher class, I will not charge them again, ever. That model is still true today. I have had students take the course as many as four times and all at no additional charge. I feel strongly that every pet owner should have the education and when someone chooses our course- We will always be committed to being a part of their emergency preparation.

We are also dedicated to giving back. We offer what we call a Focused Fundraiser program. What that means is… We will partner with a Non-Profit Agency or Rescue and set up special coupon codes for our online courses. When a student uses that coupon code, we then return a portion of each course back to them as a donation. We understand that fundraising for NonProfits can be challenging and yet vital to their existence and we want to help be part of the solution. In turn, lives will be saved!

We use top of the line manikins. One of our manikins “Clyde” has all moveable joints which we feature in the CPR section. Clyde runs a smooth $3200 alone. We have 10 CPR manikins, a real weighted dog manikin and several manikins that are used for tail wraps and muzzling. We also have a Husky who is our choking manikin. Our Husky actually has lungs and we can simulate a dog choking. The Pet owner can actually do the reverse Heimlich and if done correctly will see an object flying out of the manikin’s mouth. Choking has been the number one trauma killer of dogs for the past five years.

People ask me is our teaching effective. There are many ways to answer this question. What is a life worth? What is the price of guilt. Just by attending a course does not mean that every outcome will be favorable. Louis Pasture once quoted, “Chance favors the prepared mind” What he is saying is when you prepare, there is a better chance of a favorable outcome. To give you an example. As a Paramedic, I have well over 100 hours of active shooter training. I hope I am never placed in that situation. However if I am, I have confidence in my actions will make a difference for many people. By taking one of our courses, you will have taken your first steps to be prepared.

I am also asked about advice. I would say to make yourself a better version of you every day. Many dog owners admit they love their dog more than they like people and consider their dog as part of the family. By being prepared, you will be able to provide first aid to the ones you love in their time of need. In my case, you just might be able to recognize when your dog is facing a life-threatening situation and be able to act promptly. When I lost Sampson, I was left with a tremendous amount of guilt. I feel guilty is one of the most helpless feelings a soul can endure. Guilt is not something that is time-stamped and at times, it may be with you for years. We emphasize to students, do not base your success on the outcome, base your success on your effort and put everything you have into what is close to your heart.

What’s your favorite memory from childhood?
My initial thoughts was always be on the lookout for the creepy man in the white van. That is far from my favorite memory but apparently, it’s instilled in my brain. I feel I am quite lucky. One of my most favorite memories is being at the Fire Station. My Mother and Father would take me to see my Uncle. Uncle Brad would let me squeegee the bay floors where the Fire Trucks are parked and as a kid there was no greater job! I remember looking at the men and women as larger than life. I remember hearing the tones and watching my Uncle climb into the Fire Engine as they activated all the lights. Hearing the diesel engine fire up and the winding up of the Q-Siren as they pull onto the pad going to save a life. More than anything, I remember the smell. The smell of the bay where the fire trucks are parked is unique. I can not describe the smell and I am really not sure if it is a combination of the fire hose, bunker gear, diesel engines, or what. What I can tell you, still today there are times I go out to the bay and catch a whiff, in that moment, it takes me back to the age of six. That smell will ensure that I never grow up.

Is our city a good place to do what you do?
It’s my feelings starting a business in Denver would be hard to beat. Many days of sun and a variety of rain and snow. It is actually a great balance. The view and access of the mountains is like on others. There will be times that you need to get away and there is a verity of outdoor activities less than an hour away. Colorado has a reasonable cost of living and that translates to startup businesses being able to stretch their dollars just that much further. In my case, I was able to fund my growth through success. Many Coloradans spend a great deal of time outdoors and they are often with their four-legged family. There are also a good amount of government support. For instance, Colorado has the Colorado innovation Network. According to the website, “is a catalyst for economic prosperity through innovation by partnering with government, business and civil society to foster collaboration around global ideas, talent, capital and the entrepreneurial spirit.” That entrepreneurial spirit is exactly what any city needs to successfully support startup businesses and their owners. Starting a business has its challenges, and one of them is choosing a location. Downtown life might not be for everyone. If that is the situation for you, suburbs like Westminster. Westminster is one of the most sustainable cities in America, with an economically strong, socially vibrant and environmentally healthy community for current and future generations. A sustainable community is a desirable place to live, work, visit and play. I am happy to have grown up in Westminster.

Pricing:

  • In person K9 First-aid and CPR Course $75
  • Online Pet Sitter First-aid Course $75
  • Online Dog Owner Course $45
  • K9 MEDIC book $16.95

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