- February 16, 2012
- 12:01 am
- Jessica Reynolds
- no comments
Students saving lives
Rebecca Scanlon, Chief of Operations, Casey Foley, EMS Director, and Stephen Hsieh, Executive Supervisor
In the moment of an emergency on Loyola’s Lake Shore Campus, those in distress don’t have to wait for an ambulance to arrive. EMT-B certified student volunteers for Loyola’s Emergency Medical Services (LUCEMS) are on-call around the clock to provide rapid response in crisis situations before or in lieu of outside paramedics.
To ensure the sustenance of this truly lifesaving program, Dr. Pat Foley (BS ’68), MD, who practices family medicine in Indianapolis, Indiana, recently gave $33,000 to LUCEMS after working with the University’s Planned Giving office. Dr. Foley, who is the father of EMS Director and Loyola senior Casey Foley, cashed out his insurance policy to establish the endowment so that Casey and his comrades could continue their work and to publicize LUCEMS in hopes that other alumni will donate.
“I’m always impressed that Casey and his fellow EMS students would dedicate time and service to run this all-volunteer program that offers a real service to the community,” Dr. Foley says, adding, “And on a rather meager budget.”
Casey, a psychology major with minors in anthropology and bioethics, says most of the endowment will “be set aside and allowed to grow,” but a small amount will fund operations for this year and next.
Casey joined the EMS staff in August 2008, when the program launched. He explains, “I was always interested in emergency medicine in hospital settings, but never really knew much about the role of non-hospital emergency medical technicians.”
That is, until he attended a LUCEMS informational meeting, and after learning what EMTs actually do, Casey eagerly signed up for the EMT-B certification training course and has been in the LUCEMS since.
LUCEMS currently has 55 active responders, all of whom are students, who work Monday-Friday, 6 p.m. until 8 a.m. the next morning, and 24/7 on Saturdays and Sundays. At least two EMTs are on duty at all times. The program’s headquarters are located in Rockhurst Hall, and functions are supervised by the Department of Campus Safety.
Becky Scanlon, chief of operations for LUCEMS, says that since August 2010, volunteers have treated a total of 374 patients. In the fall 2011 semester alone, LUCEMS responded to 149 calls “ranging from medical emergencies to traumatic injuries to cardiac problems and anything else one can think of,” Scanlon, a senior majoring in political science and international studies, says. Of the 149 calls, 73 were transferred to an advanced level of care (i.e. Chicago Fire Department) while the other 76 were treated on the scene.
In addition to providing emergency response, LUCEMS offers free, periodic CPR courses and has trained 400 people since August 2010.
When Dr. Foley decided to donate to LUCEMS, he contacted Planned Giving and began working with Leigh Peterson, the department’s assistant director, who guided him through the two-month long process. Dr. Foley appreciates that the University offers assistance with large-scale donations, and he encourages alumni or parents to contact Planned Giving if they have a specific program in mind to which they want to contribute.
Dr. Foley is glad to give to LUCEMS because of its value to the Loyolans and the pragmatic experience it gives its volunteers, particularly Casey.
Dr. Foley says, “I was happy for him. . . for finding an extracurricular he enjoys so much, and I want to support that.”
Students interested in joining the LUCEMS team can become a certified EMT-B, licensed in Illinois, first by taking the course offered by the School of Continuing and Professional Studies and then passing the state or national exam for certification. After receiving certification, students must attend a LUCEMS orientation session, held at the start of each semester, before they can start saving lives.
Casey assures students of any major can join the LUCEMS team. He adds, “Knowing basic medical knowledge and critical thinking can be utilized by anyone.”
