This week marks National Collegiate Emergency Medical Services Week -- a week intended to recognize student participation in their local EMS squads, which consist of over 150 collegiate groups.
The Charlottesville-Albemarle Rescue Squad is participating in EMS recognition week because half of the active members in its organization are University students.
The rescue squad answers calls for the University and much of Albemarle County and are the busiest all-volunteer rescue squad in the country, handling about 11,000 calls last year, according to rescue squad President David Starmer.
Each year, several hundred of the calls handled respond to incidents at the University. Just last year, the rescue squad was named "Rural EMS Agency of the Year" by the American College of Emergency Physicians.
"This is an opportunity to remind the University community how students are giving back," Starmer said.
Furthermore, Starmer said EMS week recognizes "the dedication it takes to be a full time student and commit 12 hours a week and over 50 hours a month to volunteering."
This usually is a student's first interaction in the medical field and it often helps the student discover whether he or she may want to pursue a career in medicine, Starmer said.
The rescue squad is comprised of a very diverse group of individuals including undergraduate students, medical students, residents and physicians, he added.
Ed Myers is a rescue squad volunteer and a full-time registered nurse at the University hospital emergency room. He has been intermediately volunteering for the squad since 1987.
He explained that the dedication of the student volunteers is a vital part of the squad and demonstrates the immense commitment of the students. The rescue squad is a good way to mold the University community with the Albemarle community by incorporating student volunteers into the squad, Myers said.
"The students and community volunteers work well together and respect each other," Myers said. "There is a great mentoring system within the squad as new volunteers eventually become full members."
Fourth-year College student Matt Borloz, a pre-medicine student, began volunteering for the rescue squad in September 2001. He now volunteers about 40 hours a week, whereas the typical student averages 12. As a result, he receives free sub-station housing through the squad, and in return volunteers an extra 24 hours per week.
Myers said he always knew he wanted to go into medicine.
"CARS is a great way for me to get experience other than typical hospital volunteering work and gives me a chance to care for patients hands-on," he said.
As a University student, Borloz said he feels the few connections he has had with the community have been made possible through his volunteer work on the rescue squad and described volunteering for the squad as a "hobby not a burden."
Third-year College student Cindy Kindard, who has volunteered for the rescue squad since her first year, agreed with Borloz that the rescue squad provides a great opportunity to meet members of the local community.
She currently volunteers once a week for a 13-hour night shift from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. In addition to her weekly shift, she serves as the chair of the House Committee and just recently took over as secretary of the squad.
"Volunteering is a great way for pre-med students to find out if they want to pursue medicine," Kindard said.
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