Undergraduates can expect another layer of monitoring at West Campus parties from now on, as the University begins stationing student EMS workers closer to potential emergencies.
Starting this weekend, about two students from Duke Emergency Medical Services will work each party or other designated areas on campus to help ensure the safety of other students. Previously, EMS came to events only after being called.
Administrators hope that the emergency medical technicians, trained and certified in emergency care, will be more responsive by being near students who get sick from alcohol and other drugs.
"I don't expect much reaction at all, other than the students feeling they are in a safer environment," said Sue Wasiolek, assistant vice president for student affairs. "That's our goal: to create a safer environment."
The EMTs will have the same responsibilities in responding to students who need medical attention, and they will be visible in regular EMS T-shirts.
"They are not there to enforce any rules... and I think that they have always been hesitant to force their services upon other students," Wasiolek said.
Combined with the student monitoring program that began this semester, the EMTs will provide sufficient oversight at parties to ensure security and safety, Wasiolek said. In the same vein, the University had considered hiring professional party monitors, but administrators halted their search after failing to find a company with sufficient staff.
Senior Justin Odegaard, director of Duke EMS, said the program will not significantly change technicians' role but will allow them to respond faster.
"This is definitely something that we would like because it makes our response chain one link shorter," he said. "[Students] are not going to have to wait for somebody to activate EMS, or wonder if someone will."
Duke EMS receives about three or four calls each weekend night, but that number can be significantly higher, Odegaard said. Often, students request basic first-aid services, and Odegaard said having the EMTs at parties will make solving those problems easier.
The program is funded by the event security fund set up last year by Student Affairs. Although they will be assigned stations to cover, the EMTs will still be on call for emergencies elsewhere.
"On one hand, [EMS] is somewhat dedicated and devoted to a party or event, but on the other hand, it may be that they will have to go and attend to another situation at times," Wasiolek said. "They are still responding to calls." She added that there will probably be EMTs at two events this weekend, at a party at Kappa Alpha Order and at Delta Sigma Phi fraternity's Reggae Fest.
Senior Michael Calvo, president of KA, said the monitors will probably not be too noticeable. "It's sort of a security net for both organizations and individuals," Calvo said. "Since we weren't able to get the [professional party monitors] that we were thinking about..., to have the EMS around to help students is a good technique. You see more of your peers instead of people in authority."
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