By Lowell Schmeltz, formerly of University of Michigan EMS

This information was extracted from an e-mail sent to the NCEMSF-L list on September 20, 1996.

Below is my personal story of helping start a campus EMS group - one at the University of Michigan. Even though your school may be smaller, do not think that it makes a difference. If you have any questions or would like some advice, please feel free to contact NCEMSF's startup liaison at startup@ncemsf.org.

Just this week, I finished setting up my own program, the Michigan First Aid Stations - a compromise with the University who wasn't too keen on the "lights and siren" response. But let me give you some background as to how we got started.

Ann Arbor's Emergency system is composed of a full-time Fire Department, which runs first response to all calls, and a private ambulance company who has a strict policy specifically not to hire students. Since there is no place for an EMT to work within 20 minutes of campus, we decided to do something about it.

A year and a half ago, I found 3 other EMTs on campus who were just as frustrated as I was. We decided to create an emergency first response team to respond to all ambulance calls on campus (replacing the existing fire department response). We realized that we couldn't tackle this goal alone and that there were other students out there also interested in the cause (pre-med, nursing, etc.). To find everyone, we created the U of Michigan EMS Club, an official student club whose mission is to raise campus safety and awareness through education. At our first mass meeting the following September, we had over 100 people show up. So, now what can you do with them?

Our first goal was to get people certified in CPR and/or as EMTs. We found a local company who specializes in EMS training and worked out an agreement with them for a Winter Term class at a heavily reduced price ($300/person instead of $550). After publicizing this class, we had 150 students show up at an informational meeting and 100 offically register for the class. As for CPR training, we found a CPR instructor on campus and got him involved in the process. Making him a part of the group, he taught a few classes which got our club name a little more known around campus.

Behind the scenes of Fall term, though, our core group (10 EMTs) began writing a proposal for the University, modeling it after Emory's First Response protocols that I found with the help of the NCEMSF Web Site and Scott Savett, NCEMSF Webmaster. We also asked a University Public Safety Sargaent to sit in on the meetings and give the University's perspective on issues and play devil's advocate. That relationship sped up our process ten-fold and we had a finished copy by January.

At this point, we were ready to talk with University Administrators. We set up a meeting with the Dean of Students, the Director of Health Services, the Director of Public Safety, and a representative of the University Hospital Emergency Department. We discussed the response team seriously for about 2 hours, ending in a no-decision, "Let's do more research" answer. So we did. In the meantime, the University Hospital's Emergency Department agreed to take us under their wing as long as we could work everything else out. Our path was clear.

The biggest roadblock we hit was the issue of response. The Director of Public Safety didn't like the "light and siren" response we proposed in addition to the cost of the car, extra equipment, etc. The Fire Department put up a fight as well, demanding that their response times were better than anything we could provide. Even though we challenged them on the issue, they have the political clout with the County's Medical Control Board to yell louder than we could. So, now it was time to take a step back and rethink things.

With the advise of our EMT Instructor, we decided to start small - First Aid Stations. It removed the issue of response and 24 hours/day 7 days/week. We rewrote our proposal with this in mind and the University ate it up. The Office of Major Events, who sponsors all concerts, performances and other events on campus, backed us as our first client with start-up funding ($1000) and the promise of on-going offers. The Department of Risk Management agreed to insure our group because we were offically affiliated with a University department (rather than a student group), medically overseen, and had an income source as well.

So here's what was decided last week: The Michigan First Aid Stations will be comprised of volunteers from the University community who will be trained and licensed in the State of Michigan as Emergency MEdical Technicians whose function will be to provide a first aid medical emergency response during University sponsored events on University property. Since the Michigan First Aid Stations will be staffed by volunteers, there will be no remuneration for their services. The Office of Major Events, however, will develop a fee structure that will provide the Michigan First Aid Stations with a funding source to ensure an adequate level of equipment and supplies for Michgian First Aid Stations to enable them to carry out their mission.

Medical direction and administrative assistance will be provided by the Section of Emergency Medicine. Dr. Bill Wilkerson, Clinical Asst. Professor of Emergency Medicine will sponsor the Michigan First Aid Stations and provide oversight to the operation. Dr. Wilkerson will conduct regular and periodic reviews of the entertainment events that the Michigan First Aid Stations volunteers will staff, to ensure compliance with prudent first aid practices, within the scope of practice for Emergency Medical Technicians in the State of Michigan.

Well, you see, dreams can come true. If you put your mind to it, you can create your own EMS group as well. I will be glad to answer any questions that you have along the process. Just send the e-mail my way.

Step 1: Get more students interested.
Step 2: Start a club so people will be active and the College administraion can see their interest.
Step 3: Work on a proposal with some University input in the process.