The exams, intramural sports, papers and parties can get to you. A typical part-time job makes life even more daunting. But to supplement University student life with a weekly 12-hour shift at the Charlottesville-Albemarle Rescue Squad (CARS) is a unique strain on the typical University student's schedule.
"You just have to exercise time management," fourth-year Engineering student and CARS volunteer Amber Turner said. "If you're going to run a night crew, try not to make it the night before you have five classes starting at 9 a.m., because you may not get any sleep."
This year, 40 percent of CARS volunteers are University students. CARS President David Starmer said he values the relationship CARS has with the University.
"We're actively involved with research with the medical center, our members participate in publishing articles [for journals and other publications]," Starmer said. "Over the course of CARS's existence, over 100 physicians have come from our membership."
CARS Membership Committee Chair Kori Hudson, a former University student now doing a residency at the University Medical School, noted that all volunteers are expected to commit to their assigned 12-hour shift every week of the year. Students who leave Charlottesville for breaks and during the summer months often trade shifts with volunteers who are Charlottesville residents, Hudson said.
Besides working around time constraints, CARS volunteers must take a minimum of 120 hours of Emergency Medical Technician training.
Third-year College student Brandon Koser said he originally signed up for the training classes because he wanted a "resume builder," but that his experiences at CARS now mean a lot more to him.
"We're pretty well-known around the state and country, just because we provide such quality care," Koser said. "But it's not so much about the recognition."
Because CARS is an all-volunteer rescue squad, Starmer said each fall the organization faces the challenge of raising the over $600,000 needed to cover its annual budget which goes toward vehicle upkeep, uniforms, meals and "a large amount of training that's required to maintain high standards."
These high standards have earned CARS the title of "Busiest Volunteer Rescue Squad in the Nation" by Firehouse magazine, in addition to recent recognition by the Virginia General Assembly.
Starmer noted that while money can be a challenge -- CARS has not yet reached the halfway mark of its fundraising goal for the end of the calendar year
Read More
Students brave the cold for a whirlwind sorority rush
By Mia Tan | YesterdayStudents recount a mix of emotions from rush, with some disappointed after dropping from the recruitment process and others ecstatic to join Greek life.
Top 10 ways to avoid burnout this semester
By Sam Saks | 2 days agoAs you settle into this semester, try implementing these 10 tactics to take care of yourself and wave goodbye to burnout.
Top 10 things I learned the day TikTok went dark
By Elizabeth Parsons | 4 days agoI am poised to bestow newfound pieces of wisdom from my short-lived TikTok detox.
