Emory EMS Improves Programs, Initiatives
By Arti Batta
During the past year, the Emory Emergency Medical Services have implemented new initiatives in order to further extend its services to the University community, and have gained nationwide recognition for their CPR training program.
The program sent 10 of its medics to the National Collegiate EMS Conference held Feb. 29 to March 2.
"Of over 82 EMS services represented, we were awarded the Striving for Excellence award and the Campus Video of the Year award," said Josh Rozell, chief of Emory EMS.
Rozell said one of his goals for this year has been to increase campus awareness of EMS and facilitate campus-wide initiatives that will make Emory a benchmark for other institutions to follow, including a campus CPR training last semester for more than 600 people in three days.
"It was the largest ever CPR training event in the United States. We were recently published in Currents, the National American Heart Association newsletter, for our accomplishment," he said.
This year the organization tried to see how it could connect to the community in non-emergency settings, wrote Dan Sperling, incoming chief of Emory EMS, in an e-mail to the Wheel.
"The service has shown a sense of commitment and professionalism this year that has not always been present in years past," Sperling wrote.
In an e-mail to the Wheel, Director of Emory EMS Dara Spector highlighted the recent tragedies at Virginia Tech and Northern Illinois University as reminders of the importance of enhancing emergency preparedness training on campus.
"We are fortunate to have plans and procedures in place to address mass casualty incidents," she wrote.
Emory EMS has expanded its medical practices by now carrying more advanced drugs for patients with asthma and diabetes. It is also a co-sponsor of Relay for Life, and will provide medical coverage and refreshments to the participants.
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