Christopher Burns
For The Maine Campus
The University of Maine Volunteer Ambulance Corps received the 2013 Region 4 Emergency Medical Service’s (EMS) Service of the Year award last month, recognizing its long standing commitment and service to the University of Maine community and the surrounding communities of Orono and Old Town. It is the first time UVAC received the award.
The announcement was made in November at the annual EMS Seminar organized by Atlantic Partners EMS. Atlantic Partners EMS “is committed to serv[ing] [in] a leadership role for the comprehensive EMS and public safety system,” according to the APEMS website. APEMS serves EMS regions throughout central and downeast Maine.
UVAC is one of 79 EMS service providers in Region 4, which consists of Hancock, Penobscot, Piscataquis and Washington counties. The state of Maine is broken into a total of six EMS regions. Each year, one service is selected from each of the six regions as being representative and exemplifying the commitment to upholding the standard of excellence in care and community commitment APEMS is committed to.
In a news release from UMaine last month, UVAC Chief of Services Joseph Kellner credited the recognition and award to the “professionalism, compassion and skills” of the student volunteers
UVAC Student Chief Dakota Turnbull also expressed gratitude for “the support of the regional EMS organization.”
On Friday, Dec. 6, UVAC received a new ambulance to update its fleet. UVAC budgeted its money carefully for nearly a year to save for the new vehicle. It is a diesel-powered Mercedes Benz 2013 Sprinter Cargo Van 2500. It is outfitted with custom UMaine Black Bear graphics that will “represent the university well,” Turnbull said. The new 2013 Sprinter is more fuel efficient and will help reduced emissions. The other ambulance, a diesel-powered Ford E-Series will eventually be outfitted with new graphics.
Primarily students make up the ranks of UVAC volunteers, but among them are also alumni, faculty and staff. Student volunteers come from a variety of colleges and majors, including Nursing and History. Many come to UVAC without any experience as an emergency medical technician (EMT) and are trained in the “various levels of the ABCs of a patient: Airway, Breathing and Circulation” and other “Basic Life Support procedures,” according the UVAC webpage.
The service, which is run and funded by Auxiliary Services, was founded in 1972. Prior to then, first responder and patient care was headed by members of the UMaine Police Department. Because two officers were removed from duty to manage emergency response, the move was made to put students at the helm.
Currently, UVAC consists of 65 members. UVAC is on call at all times, with some students attending classes and ready to respond to the emergency call at a moment’s notice.
The ambulance fleet is made up of two vehicles. Students fulfill the roles of driver and EMT attendant and are accompanied by a licensed EMT at all times. The licensed EMT provides oversight and assistance on all calls.
UVAC is licensed at the EMT level, meaning that most volunteers are licensed and equipped to handle basic life support procedures. The other two levels of licensure are Advanced EMT and Paramedic. If UVAC requires the presence of a paramedic, a request may be placed with either the Orono or Old Town Fire Department.
On average, UVAC will respond to between 400 and 500 calls a year. UVAC operates when school is in session and in a reduced capacity during breaks. Many of the calls the service responds to are related to athletic injuries. UVAC is present for all sport and athletic events, as well as concerts and other events hosted by the university that they are requested for. They are on hand to assist local firefighters when they respond to fire alarms and other incidents on campus.
In the past, UVAC has responded to incidents of cardiac arrest and to unresponsive diabetics.
According to Turnbull, U because UVAC provides aid to Orono and Old Town, it will respond to local emergencies in the event that the Fire Departments of both towns are tied up responding to a blaze.
Other services that UVAC provides to the university community are CPR courses and maintaining the 25 Automatic External Defibrillators installed across the university. UVAC oversaw the installation of the AED devices and performs monthly maintenance to ensure they function properly in the event of a cardiac arrest.
UVAC will continue to positively represent the university. It remains exceptional compared with services provided by other universities in the state. UVAC remains the only EMT ambulance corps among Maine universities. Other universities are only staffed with student first responders.
“[It’s] the same care you get anywhere else,” Turnbull said. “Just younger.”