While watching the events of Sept. 11 unfold, a group of University students formed a University-based emergency response team.
But because of liability and insurance issues, officials may not allow the Virginia Grounds Rescue Squad to serve the University community.
Group organizers initially hoped to serve as standbys at University events, providing first-response, basic medical treatment, in the event of an emergency on Grounds. The student EMT service also may extend to the Rugby Road area.
The University now depends on the Charlottesville-Albemarle Rescue Squad for service on Grounds and support at University events. Although students can volunteer with CARS, many have found the two-year, year-round commitment incompatible with academic schedules, said Kim Span, Virginia Grounds Rescue Squad president.
Under the new Grounds-based squad, student EMTs would serve the University community during the nine-month academic school year to alleviate some of the burden from CARS, which responds to about 350 on-Grounds emergencies annually. Similar student groups operate at schools around the state, including the University of Richmond, Virginia Tech and James Madison University, Span said.
"The University has its own police department, has its own marginal form of government with Student Council ... and the judiciary and honor systems," said Jeff Erickson, Virginia Grounds Rescue Squad captain. "The two main areas they're missing are fire and rescue."
According to CARS statistics, its emergency teams, located on McIntire Road downtown, average between four and eight minutes to respond to a University emergency. Virginia Grounds Rescue Squad organizers said their response team would take a maximum of three minutes to respond to a 911 call, Erickson said.
"That's an almost veritable difference between life and death," he said.
But, University officials expressed hesitation in student emergency technicians working on Grounds, saying interested students must affiliate directly with CARS.
"The service and medical assistance we receive from CARS is outstanding," said Leonard Sandridge, University executive vice president and chief operating officer. "We have no plans to alter our current relationship with the Charlottesville-Albemarle Rescue Squad. Consequently, we have had no reason to investigate the implications of other EMT arrangements."
Because of insurance reasons, the University could be held liable for EMT treatment and equipment, said Pat Lampkin, interim vice president for student affairs.
Span and Erickson said they plan to present CARS with their proposal Thursday, but the University must be in absolute agreement with current emergency care providers before student EMTs may serve, Lampkin said. "Unless we are in complete agreement with CARS, we can't turn over emergency responsibilities even though the students are certified EMTs."
CARS Director Dayton Haugh declined to comment because he did not know of the proposal.
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