SLU EMS 101

On April 4, from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. in the Winston Room, St. Lawrence University Emergency Medical Services held an event called “Learn to Save a Life.” The primary purpose of this event was to serve the community by raising awareness of emergency medical practices via demonstrations. 

Participants in the event had the opportunity to gain a better perspective on the duties of their EMS peers and learn from some of the demonstrations to support themselves the best they could under the circumstances. Through this event, the organizers collaborated with organizations such as Peer Health and Advocates to make it more accessible for students across campus to seek emergency help. 

“I believe the idea came after a conference we attended in Pennsylvania after sharing lots of ideas with lots of collegiate agencies.” said Macie Cunningham ’26, when asked about the inspiration behind the event. For next year, the organizers hope to further advertise and bring in more students to find out ways to learn some basic life-saving skills.

SLU EMS is a student-run, New York State-certified EMS organization that provides Basic Life Support and First Response services to the SLU campus. The organization operates throughout the academic year. Respondents tend to come across a wide range of emergencies, from sports injuries and allergic reactions to alcohol-related incidents. Members are trained in CPR, first aid and emergency response. Many members earn EMT certification through sponsored courses.

Other than responding to emergency calls, SLU EMS provides medical standby services at major campus events such as SpringFest, Titus and hockey games among others. They also provide leadership development, community engagement and collaborate with local authorities including Canton Police and Fire and Rescue. Membership is open to students with a wide range of medical experience. Some members often join with little to no experience but nonetheless receive comprehensive training on par with more experienced crew mates. As a student-run organization, SLU EMS is an extremely significant presence on campus and a pillar of the community.