Brandeis Emergency Medical Corps

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Coordinates: 42°21′58″N 71°15′19″W / 42.36611°N 71.25528°W / 42.36611; -71.25528

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)
Medical Director Dr. Debra Poaster, M.D.
Responses >320/year
Website http://people.brandeis.edu/~bemco

The Brandeis Emergency Medical Corps is the emergency medical service organization for Brandeis University. Commonly referred to as BEMCo, it is an independent student organization and consists of students who are all at least EMT-Basics.

Contents

[edit] About BEMCo

BEMCo is the sole provider of emergency medical care to anyone on the campus of Brandeis University, a private research and liberal arts[1] university with an enrollment of approximately 3,200 undergraduate and 2,100 graduate students.[2] 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 320 medical emergencies annually, BEMCo (or any other Brandeis student club) does not charge for its services.[3] BEMCo is a member of the National Collegiate EMS Foundation (NCEMSF)[4] 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.

[edit] History

[edit] 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.[5]

[edit] 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.[5]

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.[5]

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.[6] With this new certification, BEMCo gained new capabilities and thus expanded their ability to care for the Brandeis community. 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.[5]

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.[5]

From its founding in 1983 through May 2008, BEMCo has had more than 630 members, all of whom have served the Brandeis University community with tremendous pride and professionalism.

[edit] 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.[7]

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

On March 15, 2008, BEMCo held its 25th Anniversary Gala, complete with a slide show and a movie.

[edit] BEMCo as a Club

[edit] Organizational Structure

BEMCo and its organizational structure follow the provisions of BEMCo’s constitution. Charged with maintaining BEMCo’s high level of service to the Brandeis community, the six elected members of BEMCo’s 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.

Current Executive Board[8]
Director Sasha Parets '10 - BEMCo #565
Director of Operations Daniel Litwok '10 - BEMCo #558
Administrator Yoni Cohen '10 - BEMCo #575
Training Officer Dan Saxe '12 - BEMCo #622
Treasurer Seth Merker '11 - BEMCo #620
Secretary Becky Miller '10 - BEMCo #593
Current Clinical Supervisors
Clinical Supervisor Daniel Litwok '10 - BEMCo #558
Clinical Supervisor Wei Sum Li '10 - BEMCo #594
Current Appointed Positions[8]
Scheduling Officer Jessye Moss '10 - BEMCo #582
Promotions Officer Liz Rubin '10 - BEMCo #581
Webmaster Yoni Cohen '10 - BEMCo #575





[edit] Membership

As one of the 270+ clubs[9] chartered by the Brandeis University Student Union, BEMCo's membership is open to all Brandeis students, with no bias to any member on the basis of race, color, ancestry, religious creed, gender identity and expression, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, genetic information, disability, political affiliation, ideology, veteran status, or any other category protected by the law. Given BEMCo's unique status as both a club and a public service organization, it has been designated as one of seven "Secured" groups which receives a guaranteed minimum amount from the fund generated by the Brandeis' Student Activities Fee (SAF). To serve as an active member of BEMCo, a student must hold both a valid CPR card from either the American Red Cross or the American Heart Association in addition to possessing valid Emergency Medical Technician-Basic (EMT-B) certification in Massachusetts. Upon joining BEMCo, each new BEMCo member is given a BEMCo number, by which s/he is identified on the radio and on official BEMCo documents. An active member is required to take at least 1 24-hour shift per semester, as well as fulfill educational and skill requirements on a regular basis. Approximately 50 of the 80 BEMCo members remain active BEMCo members. All BEMCo members attend mandatory monthly BEMCo general membership meetings to remain updated on any BEMCo news or events. While wearing any BEMCo apparel, even while not on duty, a BEMCo member may not engage in alcohol or any other mind-altering substances.

[edit] BEMCo Traditions

BEMCo has grown into an incredibly cohesive club, and has developed many traditions. Among these traditions are an annual trip to IHOP taken by both the outgoing and newly-elected E-Boards immediately after BEMCo E-Board elections. BEMCo also has a strong tradition of parties that last well into the night. Each year, BEMCo holds an alumni dinner, inviting alumni back for an informal meal together with the current BEMCo membership. However, perhaps the strongest condition is the annual Senior Banquet. At the BEMCo Senior Banquet, BEMCo sits down to eat, give out its annual awards, and ceremoniously hand over positions between the incoming and outgoing BEMCo E-Board. BEMCo gives out the following annual awards:

  • Steve Kissell Award for Outstanding Lifetime Achievement in BEMCo - BEMCo's highest award
  • Outstanding EMT - for the highest standards of service, patient care, and continuing education to BEMCo and the Brandeis Community
  • BEMCo Member of the Year - awarded to the non E-Board, non-Primary who has contributed significantly to BEMCo
  • The Cappy’s Award - for display of spirit, levity and enthusiastic personality towards BEMCo


Past Winners of Steve Kissel Award
2001 Michael Schakow - BEMCo #275 Andrea Sorokin - BEMCo #262
2002 Robert Morlend - BEMCo #292
2003 Jennifer Marcus - BEMCo #335 Hillary Yaffe - BEMCo #338
2004 Marc Kolpon - BEMCo #365
2005 Julie Goldman - BEMCo #387
2006 Jonathan Sham - BEMCo #409
2007 Yoni Litwok - BEMCo #446
2008 David Altszuler - BEMCo #482
2009 Levana Goldberg - BEMCo #561 Vince Storie - BEMCo #532
Past Winners of the Outstanding EMT award
1984 David Klyde - BEMCo #3 Pamela Malech - BEMCo #5
1985 Douglas Burd - BEMCo #2
1989 Michael Guttenberg - BEMCo #35 Alan Kamis - BEMCo #46
1990 Dawn Yules - BEMCo #68
1991 Bradley Pinsky - BEMCo #84 Craig Lipset - BEMCo #88
1992 Nicole Apton - BEMCo #85 Craig Lipset - BEMCo #88
1993 Aric Bittker - BEMCo #120
1994 Peter Simon - BEMCo #137
1995 Scott Weingart - BEMCo #149
1996 Gerard Carroll - BEMCo #155 Rachel Burshtein - BEMCo #160
1997 Ruben Cohen - BEMCo #168 Steven Davidoff - BEMCo #201
1998 Steven Moonblatt - BEMCo #187
1999 Colin Swales - BEMCo #216 Orion Macdonald - BEMCo #209
2000 Steven Haber - BEMCo #234 Maria Koenig - BEMCo #261
2001 Matt Riesenberg - BEMCo #274 Andrea Sorokin - BEMCo #262
2002 Avital Schwartz - BEMCo #296 David Baskin - BEMCo #300
2003 Christopher DeRienzo - BEMCo #319 Jennifer Mitzman - BEMCo #323
2004 Matt Harris - BEMCo #341 Yoni Kurland - BEMCo #360
2005 Anna Zaika - BEMCo #405
2006 Jared Smith - BEMCo #422 Elan Schefflein - BEMCo #420
2007 Debbie Bakes - BEMCo #450
2008 Zvi Dubin - BEMCo #471

[edit] 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. Most notably, one of BEMCo's members, Vince Storie '09 (BEMCo #532), gave a 8-part miniseries titled "Topics in Prehospital Health Care." Materials for the miniseries are available on Vince's website.

[edit] 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[10], BEMCo's first intramural title!

[edit] BEMCo's Medical Services

The Star of Life, the internationally recognized standard EMS symbol and a component of the BEMCo logo

BEMCo responds to all medical emergencies on Brandeis University property including the residence halls, academic buildings and athletic facilities. BEMCo provides emergency medical coverage 24 hours/day, 7 days/week throughout the year except when residence halls are closed, such as Christmas vacation. At these times when BEMCo is not in service, an outside ambulance company (staffed by American Medical Response (AMR) paramedics) is dispatched to all medical emergencies. Since AMR is a private ambulance service, it charges a fee to each of its patients[11]. Since BEMCo cannot charge a fee[3], all patients who either receive transport from BEMCo or refuse medical care are spared this cost. As described below, when the serious nature of the emergency requires more intensive care, BEMCo will dispatch AMR, and the fee from AMR is then unavoidable. Since this is only a minority of cases, BEMCo saves Brandeis students hundreds of dollars each year.

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.[5]

As required by the Massachusetts Office of Emergency Medical Services (OEMS) from all other EMS organizations in the state[12], BEMCo has access to and receives medical oversight from a medical director. The medical director for BEMCo (and Brandeis University) is Dr. Debra Poaster, M.D..

Over the past several years, BEMCo has averaged more than 320 emergencies annually, with approximately 20-40% of those calls being related to alcohol and/or drugs.[5]

[edit] 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 restrictions 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, and may not engage in alcohol or any other mind altering substances.

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. During a call, the Secondary assists the Primary with patient care and records all pertinent patient information on a BEMCo call sheet. Should a second (simultaneous) call arise, the Secondary will break off from the first call to respond to the second call with the Supervisor, leaving the Primary and tertiary at the scene of the original emergency.
  • 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 bicycle, 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 hazardous material (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 Brandeis University's Medical Director. The 2009-2010 BEMCo Supervisors are Daniel Litwok '10 (BEMCo #558) and Wei Sum Li '10 (BEMCo #594).

[edit] Emergency Response Vehicles

The BEMCo Truck sits in front of the Shapiro Campus Center.

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 Brandeis University Health Center, Newton-Wellesley Hospital's Waltham Urgent Care Centeror 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 with paramedics from an outside agency 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.

[edit] 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, dodgeball tournaments, university-sponsored events and dances which serve alcohol, and graduation. These events have included visits from former US Presidents Jimmy Carter[13] and Bill Clinton.[14]

[edit] Dorm Raps

BEMCo, like all other EMT-B/BLS organizations, 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. 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. Most importantly, Dorm Raps also stress that BEMCo is an emergency 911 service and as such should only be contacted in cases where one would normally contact an ambulance. Commonly known as "Dorm Raps", these meetings have been very helpful in eliminating unnecessary calls and have been a strong recruiting tool.

[edit] See also

[edit] Footnotes

  1. ^ "Fast Facts". Brandeis University. http://www.brandeis.edu/about/facts/index.html. Retrieved on 2008-03-17. 
  2. ^ "Schools and Enrollment". Brandeis University. http://www.brandeis.edu/about/facts/schools.html. Retrieved on 2008-03-17. 
  3. ^ a b "Article VIII: Union Accredited Organizations". Brandeis University Student Union. http://union.brandeis.edu/bylaws.php#8. Retrieved on 2008-09-08. 
  4. ^ "NCEMSF Database". http://www.ncemsf.org/resources/database/showalpha.ems. Retrieved on 2008-05-05. 
  5. ^ a b c d e f g Brandeis Emergency Medical Corps (2008). BEMCo 25th Anniversary Gala: Order of Ceremonies. Waltham, MA: Brandeis University. p. 2. 
  6. ^ "BEMCo Granted Ambulance License". http://www.thejusticeonline.com/home/index.cfm?event=displayArticle&ustory_id=aa30cd5e-c345-408a-9f2e-4b3e5670052d. Retrieved on 2008-05-05. 
  7. ^ "NCEMSF Hall of Fame". http://www.ncemsf.org/about/hall-of-fame.ems. Retrieved on 2008-05-05. 
  8. ^ a b "BEMCo E-Board 2008-2009". http://people.brandeis.edu/~bemco/BEMCo/E-Board.html. Retrieved on 2008-05-05. 
  9. ^ "Brandeis Club Center". http://my.brandeis.edu/clubs/. Retrieved on 2008-06-15. 
  10. ^ "Brandeis Intramural Innertube Water Polo". http://brandeis.dosportseasy.com/schedule.php?sport=Innertube+Water+Polo. Retrieved on 2008-06-15. 
  11. ^ "Answers to your Patient Billing Questions: FAQ". AMERICAN MEDICAL RESPONSE, INC.. http://www.amr.net/Patients-and-Family-Members/FAQs.aspx. Retrieved on 2009-05-13. 
  12. ^ "Chapter 54 of the Acts of 2000: AN ACT RELATIVE TO THE EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES SYSTEM." (in English). State of Massachusetts. 2000. http://www.mass.gov/legis/laws/seslaw00/sl000054.htm. Retrieved on 2009-05-06. 
  13. ^ "President Jimmy Carter to Speak on Campus". http://my.brandeis.edu/news/item?news_item_id=7613. Retrieved on 2008-05-05. 
  14. ^ "Former U.S. President Bill Clinton to Visit Brandeis". http://my.brandeis.edu/news/item?news_item_id=11514. Retrieved on 2008-05-05. 

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