EMTs: Heroes in jumpsuits
By Tara Sahdev
Four months of training, some hands-on experience, a certification test and a rigorous application process are all worth it for some students to get volunteer jobs as Emergency Medical Technicians.
There are approximately 35 EMTs on campus who dedicate their nights to providing medical assistance when Cowell Health Center is closed. These nocturnal volunteers work from 5 p.m. to 9 a.m., except during finals week and university breaks when all the emergency calls are transferred to the Santa Clara Fire Department.
While some of these students have received their certifications from community colleges, others have come straight out of the EMT training program conducted by the university.
For EMTs, college life is made interesting because of intoxicated, belligerent freshmen, athletes' broken arms and bouts of gastroenteritis in the residence halls.
The EMTs provide care only for victims on university property and only during the school year, beginning when students first move in. "The alcohol calls spike in the beginning of the year because you get new freshman who think they are invincible," said last year's Emergency Medical Services Director, senior Jordan Ruiz.
EMTs become more confident in their skills as they gain experience. The first time that Ruiz went on a call, he convinced an athlete to come out of a game despite the athlete's reluctance and his parent's discontent. Although at the time the athlete did not feel that any damage had been done, five minutes later he started to lose feeling in half of his upper body. Ruiz was thankful that he listened to his instinct.
The current EMS squad is reviewing applicants for next year's group.
There are 17 senior EMTs graduating this year, so the squad for the 2008-2009 school year is expecting a hefty number of new volunteers. An EMT-certified student who chooses to apply is judged on interviews, performance in the training class, instructor feedback, experience and enthusiasm.
The EMT squad has found that despite their selfless service to the university, they have unfairly been stuck with a villainous reputation.
"A lot of the problems we have been having are that people are very misconstrued on what we actually do," said junior EMT Ross French. "People think that we are the ones that write them up. We don't punish anyone. We've never punished anyone."
These students chose to become EMTs for various reasons. Some want to pursue a career in health services, while others just love the thrill. But all the volunteers find their EMT skills valuable for everyday life and agree that they love to give back to the community.
Contact Tara Sahdev at (408) 551-1918 or at tsahdev@scu.edu.