Brandeis Emergency Medical Corps

Infobox Ambulance Company
name = Brandeis Emergency Medical Corps

motto = "Saving Lives, Breaking Hearts"
established = 1983
headquarters = Waltham, Massachusetts, United States
jurisdiction = Brandeis University campus
staff type = Full-time Volunteer
employees = 80 undergraduate students
BLS or ALS = BLS
ambulances = 1 (+1 Supervisor vehicle)
helicopters =
chief =
commissioner =
CEO =
director =
medicaldirector = Debra Poaster, MD
revenue =
yearly responses = ~300/year
website = http://people.brandeis.edu/~bemcoThe Brandeis Emergency Medical Corps (BEMCo) is the emergency medical service organization for Brandeis University.

About BEMCo

BEMCo is the sole provider of emergency medical care to anyone on the campus of Brandeis University, a private research and liberal artscite web |title=Fast Facts |work=Brandeis University |accessdate=2008-03-17 |url=http://www.brandeis.edu/about/facts/index.html ] university with an enrollment of approximately 3,200 undergraduate and 2,100 graduate students. [cite web |title=Schools and Enrollment |work=Brandeis University |accessdate=2008-03-17 |url=http://www.brandeis.edu/about/facts/schools.html ] BEMCo is an entirely student run and volunteer organization, receiving only minimal oversight and guidance from Brandeis's Medical Director and Director of Public Safety. All of BEMCo's approximately 80 current members (50 active) are Brandeis University undergraduate students who possess valid Emergency Medical Technician-Basic (EMT-B) certification in Massachusetts. Despite responding to approximately 300 medical emergencies annually, BEMCo (or any other Brandeis student club) does not charge for its services. [cite web |title=Article VIII: Union Accredited Organizations |work=Brandeis University Student Union |accessdate=2008-09-08 |url=http://union.brandeis.edu/bylaws.php#8 ] BEMCo is a member of the National Collegiate EMS Foundation (NCEMSF) [cite web|url=http://www.ncemsf.org/resources/database/showalpha.ems|title=NCEMSF Database|accessdate=2008-05-05] and sends a delegation to the annual NCEMSF conference. Every spring, BEMCo offers an EMT training course on the Brandeis campus which trains about 30 new EMTs each year.

History

Founding

After witnessing an accident on campus in 1981, then-undergraduate James Meisel, MD, Brandeis ‘85 (BEMCo #1) was impelled to reevaluate the campus emergency medical response system. In a letter to the Brandeis University Director of Public Safety, Meisel highlighted the inability for Brandeis to provide a consistent and acceptable level of emergency medical care to its campus with only two or three campus police officer-EMTs periodically on staff. In order to eliminate these shortcomings, BEMCo was formed, first going into service in January 1983 with 10 EMTs, 8 other student associate members seeking EMT certification, and a student Director optimistically projecting the development of the organization to include twenty EMTs by the following year.cite book |title=BEMCo 25th Anniversary Gala: Order of Ceremonies |last= Brandeis Emergency Medical Corps|first= |authorlink= Brandeis Emergency Medical Corps |year=2008 |publisher= Brandeis University |location= Waltham, MA |isbn= |pages=2 |url= ]

Through the Years

In early 1984, the number of BEMCo medics (a general term for EMTs which was used prior to the establishment of the paramedic position that now claims this title) had climbed to 15, and they were joined by a number of associate members who took part in the administrative and fundraising aspects of the organization. During this time, BEMCo received an average of 3 calls per week, mainly for soft tissue injuries. Another advance in the organization’s development which came later in 1984 was that BEMCo had arranged to host an EMT class on campus independent of the University’s academic classes in order to certify more Massachusetts EMTs who could then join BEMCo. The BEMCo-sponsored EMT course has continued to be an annual occurrence, training approximately 30 new EMTs each year, most of whom go on to join BEMCo.

In September 1988, by which time BEMCo could count cardiac arrest and psychiatric patients among its call experiences, BEMCo received designation from the state of Massachusetts as an official disaster unit. This classification allowed BEMCo to be included in a network of trauma units throughout the state that can be called upon to provide aid to disaster victims anywhere in Massachusetts. This designation also allowed the BEMCo car (a Ford Escort that had been with the organization since its second or third year in existence) to be fitted with flashing warning lights and sirens to facilitate its rapid response to both on-campus emergencies and potential statewide disasters. This official and rather impressive step for BEMCo helped mark its fifth year of existence, by which time BEMCo had thirty EMTs to its membership.

During the 1990s, BEMCo underwent several changes. The number of BEMCo members rose to and stabilized at nearly 80, with approximately 50 active. The structure of the on-duty crew took on its current model: Supervisor, Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary (see below). Vibrating pagers replaced audio-only devices in 1997, and the BEMCo vehicle was replaced in succession by a red Chevy Blazer and a blue and white Ford Explorer. After receiving approval from the University Administration and Board of Trustees to obtain an Automated external defibrillator (AED) in 1994, BEMCo applied for membership into Region IV of the Massachusetts Office of Emergency Medical Services in 1998. On December 7, 1998, state approval came through and on December 15, 1998, the AED went into service as a regular piece of equipment on the BEMCo truck. By the end of the 1998-1999 academic year, BEMCo’s entire membership was certified to use the AED.

In 2002, BEMCo acquired a Ford Expedition, which is the current BEMCo emergency response vehicle. Since its inception, BEMCo was a fly-car (quick response vehicle) service, only capable of basic treatment and non-emergent transport. Thanks to the hard work of many BEMCo members, but most notable Julie Goldman '05 (BEMCo #387) and Jonathan Sham '06 (BEMCo #409), BEMCo was upgraded to a Massachusetts Certified Class V Ambulance in 2006. [cite web|url=http://www.thejusticeonline.com/home/index.cfm?event=displayArticle&ustory_id=aa30cd5e-c345-408a-9f2e-4b3e5670052d|title=BEMCo Granted Ambulance License|accessdate=2008-05-05] The most important aspect of the Class V license is the fact that it allows BEMCo to become one of the few Basic Life Support (BLS) services in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to carry BLS drugs. The on-duty supervisor and primary each carry albuterol to be used in a nebulizer to treat asthma-related respiratory distress, aspirin to be used for patients presenting with cardiac-related chest pain, and Epi-Pens for treatment of severe allergic reactions. To date, BEMCo has used each life-saving BLS drug multiple times, with the exception of the Epi-Pen.

In the Spring of 2006 the University provided a second vehicle for BEMCo. A Ford Taurus was added to BEMCo’s fleet for use by the on-duty BEMCo Supervisor (see below). This additional vehicle allows for BEMCo to carry extra equipment as well as to better cover the campus in the event of simultaneous calls.

From its founding in 1983 through May 2008, BEMCo has had more than 605 members, all of whom have served the Brandeis University community with tremendous pride and professionalism.

Milestones, Awards and Trivia

BEMCo’s first call was on January 27, 1983 for a woman in labor.

For its outstanding service record and strong community standing, BEMCo was recognized with the “Striving for Excellence in Campus EMS” award at the 1999 and 2007 National Collegiate EMS Conferences. [cite web|url=http://www.ncemsf.org/about/hall-of-fame.ems|title=NCEMSF Hall of Fame|accessdate=2008-05-05]

In October 2007, BEMCo responded to its 6,000^th emergency medical call. Through February 2008, BEMCo has responded to more than 6,100 calls.

On March 15, 2008, BEMCo held its 25^th Anniversary Gala, complete with a slide show and a [http://people.brandeis.edu/~bemco/BEMCo/State_Your_Emergency.html movie] .

BEMCo as a Club

Organizational Structure

BEMCo and its organizational structure follow the provisions of [http://people.brandeis.edu/~bemco/constitution.html BEMCo’s constitution] . Charged with maintaining BEMCo’s high level of service to the Brandeis community, the six elected members of BEMCo’s [http://people.brandeis.edu/~bemco/BEMCo/E-Board.html Executive Board (E-Board)] are responsible for organizational oversight, personnel management and day-to-day operations. The BEMCo E-Board is elected to one-year terms and consists of a Director, Director of Operations, Administrator, Treasurer, Training Officer, and Secretary. The E-Board meets on a regular (often weekly) basis. Additionally, a Webmaster, Scheduling Officer and Promotions Officer are appointed to 1-year terms by the E-Board.

BEMCo CEs

Each BEMCo member is required to attend several continuing education (CE) classes in order to maintain their status as EMTs. In order to help its membership continue to serve as EMTs, BEMCo either provides or facilitates CE events, including gunshot wound classes, trauma seminars, mass-casualty drills, and refreshers in dealing with intoxicated patients. Recently, one of BEMCo's members, Vince Storie (BEMCo #532), gave a 8-part miniseries titled "Topics in Prehospital Health Care." Materials for the miniseries are available on Vince's [http://911learning.com/home website] .

BEMCo Ballerz

BEMCo is not merely an undergraduate ambulance company. It's also one of the most active clubs on campus. BEMCo participates in many intramural sports leagues, including softball and water polo. In 2008, BEMCo captured the Co-Ed Inner Tube Water Polo Championship [cite web|url=http://brandeis.dosportseasy.com/schedule.php?sport=Innertube+Water+Polo|title= Brandeis Intramural Innertube Water Polo|accessdate=2008-06-15] , BEMCo's first intramural title!

BEMCo's Medical Services

BEMCo responds to all medical emergencies on Brandeis University property including the residence halls, academic buildings and athletic facilities. BEMCo provides completely cost-free emergency medical coverage 24 hours/day, 7 days/week throughout the year except when residence halls are closed, such as Christmas break.

When a caller dials either 9-1-1 or x63333 from an on-campus land-line phone (or (781)-736-3333 from any phone), the call is diverted to the Brandeis University Public Safety emergency dispatcher, who pages the entire on-duty BEMCo crew to respond. Typical response times average less than 3 minutes.

Duty Crews

Duty crews are on call for 24-hour shifts. Each on-duty BEMCo member carries a bag of assorted medical supplies, a pager and a radio, all of which must remain within reach at all times. While on duty, BEMCo members behave like all other Brandeis students, attending classes and participating in other clubs or sports activities. The only restriction placed on the on-call BEMCo crew is that they must remain within a short distance from the Brandeis University campus in order to respond quickly in the event of a call.

The standard on-duty crew comprises four EMTs: a Primary, Secondary, Tertiary, and Supervisor:
* The "Primary" is a member who has had extensive off campus experience either with a volunteer or paid ambulance service. S/he is considered the crew chief, and drives to all calls in the 'BEMCo Truck' (see below). On scene, the Primary evaluates and examines the patient(s), and is the EMT ultimately responsible for all patient care decisions.
* The "Secondary" has had extensive training and is familiar with all BEMCo protocols. Should a second (simultaneous) call arise, the Secondary will break off from the first call to respond to the second call with the Supervisor. During a call, the Secondary assists the Primary with patient care and records all pertinent patient information on a BEMCo call sheet.
* The "Tertiary" is a new member who participates fully until he/she is ready for promotion to Secondary. On scene, the Tertiary is often charged with evaluating the patient's vital signs. Both the Secondary and Tertiary respond to the scene via foot, personal vehicle, or campus police cruiser (if available).
* A "Supervisor" is always on duty to respond to simultaneous calls (with the Secondary), as well as any call of a serious nature. Supervisors are Primaries with extensive on and off campus experience and are trained to handle crisis situations, including Hazmat emergencies, structural fires and mass casualty incidents (MCIs). The on-duty BEMCo Supervisor drives to all calls in the BEMCo Supervisor vehicle (see below). Two Supervisors are appointed to one-year terms after approval from the Brandeis University Medical Director. The 2008-2009 BEMCo Supervisors are Daniel Litwok '10 (BEMCo #558) and Levana Goldberg '09 (BEMCo #561).

Emergency Response Vehicles

As its primary emergency medical response vehicle, BEMCo operates a 2002 Ford Expedition equipped with full emergency vehicle lighting. The BEMCo Truck carries BLS equipment in accordance with the regulations outlined for a Class V Ambulance Service in Massachusetts. This includes, but is not limited to: spinal immobilization devices, electric suction, splinting devices, burn kits, extrication equipment, obstetrics supplies, oxygen, a defibrillator, albuterol, aspirin and epinephrine. The BEMCo Truck is able to transport patients with non-emergent injuries and/or illnesses which do not require advanced life support (ALS) intervention and who do not require transport on a stretcher, such as ankle sprains and minor lacerations. Depending on the illness or injury, patients are typically transported to the [http://www.brandeis.edu/health/ Brandeis University Health Center] , [http://www.nwh.org/itemDetail.asp?categoryID=346&itemID=16149 Newton-Wellesley Hospital Waltham Urgent Care Center] , or [https://www.nwh.org/index.asp Newton-Wellesley Hospital] . If a patient requires ALS assistance due to a more serious condition, such as active bleeding or possible cervical spine injury, BEMCo will dispatch an ambulance from an outside agency (typically staffed by American Medical Response (AMR) paramedics) and transfers patient care to the paramedics for emergency transport to an emergency department of a local hospital or trauma center.

BEMCo also maintains a second response vehicle, a 2006 Ford Taurus. Equipped with graphics, strobe lights, an air horn, and multiple bags of EMS supplies, the Taurus is used by the on-duty BEMCo Supervisor to allow for quicker responses and the availability of additional resources to the Brandeis campus in case of an emergency. Even though it does not transport patients, the BEMCo Supervisor vehicle has been of particular importance in responding to simultaneous calls.

Special Events

Additionally, BEMCo is responsible for providing emergency medical coverage during events on campus, which could bring anywhere between fifty to thousands of visitors. For these events, BEMCo staffs a standby crew at the event in addition to the 4 on-duty EMTs who move throughout campus. Typically, these events include rugby games, fireworks, dodge-ball tournaments, university-sponsored events and dances which serve alcohol, and graduation. Recently, these events have included visits from former US Presidents Jimmy Carter [cite web|url=http://my.brandeis.edu/news/item?news_item_id=7613|title=President Jimmy Carter to Speak on Campus|accessdate=2008-05-05] and Bill Clinton. [cite web|url=http://my.brandeis.edu/news/item?news_item_id=11514|title=Former U.S. President Bill Clinton to Visit Brandeis|accessdate=2008-05-05]

Dorm Raps

BEMCo, like all other EMT-B/BLS organization, is not licensed to administer tylenol or advil. Despite this, BEMCo is occasionally called for a patient with the flu who requests some type of pain medication. This situation can be frustrating to both the patient and BEMCo, especially if it occurs early in the morning when most BEMCo members are sleeping. In order to avoid such instances and increase awareness of its services, BEMCo offers to meet with many of the freshman halls to give a small demonstration and answer questions, including how to care for an intoxicated roommate or friend. Commonly known as "Dorm Raps", these meetings have been very helpful in eliminating unnecessary calls and have been a strong recruiting tool.

ee also

*Emergency medical technician
*Emergency medical services in the United States
*Emergency medicine

Footnotes

External links

* [http://www.brandeis.edu/ Brandeis University]
* [http://people.brandeis.edu/~bemco BEMCo]
* [http://www.ncemsf.org/ National Collegiate EMS Foundation (NCEMSF)]
* [http://911learning.com/home 911learning.com]