How To Start A College Campus EMS Response Program

[Guest]

Hi, I go to school in NYC and I'm thinking about trying to start either a volunteer first response squad or a volunteer ambulance corps (the type and purpose of the organization will depend on whether or not NYU joins in).

I was wondering what would have to be done in order to get a volunteer EMS agency in NYC off the ground?

Thanks.

Edited August 10, 2005 by JaredHG

[JohnnyOV 2]

It might be impossible to get a volunteer VAC started in NYC because of the 911 contracts given out to FDNY

[roeems87 0]

Are you trying to start a school VAC? Sounded like perhaps you were trying to start one with another school (hoping NYU--I'm thinking the school, not the hospital) joins up. If it's a school thing, probably not a big deal, but to take a 911 portion, you may have to bid for the contract when it comes up...

[Guest]

I'm pretty sure that Columbia University EMS does 911 even around the campus, and it's a VAC. You might want to contact them.

[92DLt 0]

I'm pretty sure that Columbia University EMS does 911 even around the campus, and it's a VAC. You might want to contact them.

There are many VAC's in NYC that do 911. There are also many collegiate VACs that are the primary ambulance providers for their campuses as well as being part of the NYC EMS system. Fordham University EMS, of which I am a member and officer does both. We've been around for 27 years so I have no idea how to start a VAC. My advice would be to talk to some FDNY brass, NYC REMSCO, DOH, or some of the other VACs that exist. Here's a list with some with contact info for each--http://www.emrnyc.com/vac.htm. Another good resource for collegiate EMS programs is the National Collegiate EMS Foundation--they can be reached at www.NCEMSF.org

Good luck and if you need any help feel free to contact any of us at Fordham EMS, we are always willing to help.

[Guest]

First off, thanks to all who have responded, your help is appreciated. My school has a bit of a unique situation the first is that we are very small (only 900 students) and we're in debt. If we can't get the school NYU (which is nearby) to join up, then I would envision this as more of a first response unit serving the 5 buildings of our school. If NYU were to come in on this then there would be more of a use for a full blown ambulance corps since NYU is significantly larger, has more money, and has buildings clustered around the area (one of their dorms is a block from our dorm, and an office building of theirs is accross the street from one of our buildings). I'm just exploring the idea at this point to try and figure out the expense, difficulty, necessity, and feasibility of creating a volunteer EMS agency for my school Another issue which may compicate things is that we're between three hospitals, and a Cabrini bus is usually floating around (however I'm told it can still take 10-15 minutes for an ambulance). I'm thinking initially that this service will only respond to the builidngs of the participating schools, but eventually after its gotten off its feet it may, possibly expand to 911, however I don't think I'll be around when that happens.

In addition to starting it I need help with trying to figure out things like getting a vehicle, a medical director, space/housing, arranging EMT courses, arranging credit for the EMT courses, getting medical supplies, etc.

Thanks again for all your help, hope this information helps clearify what I'm trying to do and what help I'll need.

Edited August 11, 2005 by JaredHG

[WAS967 97]

Something like this is a huge undertaking, regardless of the size. I hope you don't try to do it yourself, seek help from others in your school (and NYU) who might be interested in the same thing. Many schools have clubs. Perhaps start small by starting an EMS or Emergency Responder Club to garner support. IF you want to move into the response part of things, look into becoming an BLS First Response agency. Doing the BLS 911 Ambulance thing can be something you work towards in the distant future.

Having a large ambition is good, but try not to bite off more than you can chew. You'll find youself struggling sooner than later and it will end up becoming more a headache than a hobby. Most of all, being a student, don't let your ambition to start a BLS agency interfere with your studies. You can always come back later on as an alumnus and work from there.

[unleashedff248 3]

I am currently in the process of beginning an on-campus EMS response for my college. I go to Stonehill College in MA, which provides additional challenges beyond NY. Like WAS said, it's a HUGE undertaking, involving lawyers, school officials, and administrators who generally don't like to spend money, despite the fact that you're paying $36,000 a year to go to their school. We operate on a private campus which simplifies matters a bit, but plenty of challenges are left past there. We do not provide transport services. That is covered by the local FD (Easton Fire) who runs ALS ambulances on a career level. Last year we acquired enough supplies to begin our response. We acquired a budget through the student activities organization as an EMS club. We began responding to emergency calls second semester. We are dispatched through the campus police, as all 911 and emergency calls from on-campus extensions are intercepted by their dispatcher and handled from there. We covered a 2 person shift on weekends (thurs-sat) from 7pm to 3am completely volunteer. For special events we can provide 24 hour coverage. We also covered all sports events with one or two EMT's for pay. We used radios loaned to us by campus police under their frequency, which proved to be a problem as campus police likes to use full names of students over the radio. These radios were taken away in May by college administrators. They don't understand that any schmuck with a $20 scanner can hear the same thing we did. We cover 375 acres of campus by foot, bicycle, and car. Bike units have proved the best way to get around, especially when calls are back in the woods or on the running trails.

I've been elected president of the club, and I'm facing a couple of challenges right now. I need radios. Bad. I don't have enough money in the budget to spend $200 on a radio. I have a couple of radios I personally own and it looks like we'll be using these this upcoming semester. I also need a frequency to operate on. Right now it looks like we'll be using the college maintainence repeater, which isn't a good idea for obvious reasons. We're using our own cars, own bikes, and some of our own equipment. Big problem right there. We need oxygen. Oxygen is expensive, and we don't use enough to justify or qualify for bulk delivery. Most companies won't supply it to us at the volume we need. We need uniforms. We need supplies. But most of all, we need the support of the administration, who right now sees us as some "good kids trying to make a difference." We're not. We're professionals and adults.

My words of wisdom to you: gain support. You can't do it yourself and don't expect to get it done in 2 or 3 years. You'll be long out of college by the time everything's settled. If you want to get started, start up and EMS club, get a budget, and take it from there. If you need any additional help or info, PM me.