When Topanga Braith transferred to the College of Saint Benedict last fall as a sophomore, one of the things that drew her was the chance to use her emergency medical technician (EMT) skills on campus. That’s the real-world opportunity the Saint John’s EMT Squad offers to Saint Ben’s and Saint John’s University students each year.
“Joining the EMT Squad has been a really meaningful and enjoyable addition to my college experience,” she said. “It’s a great way to explore the community on campus and know that I’m a part of what makes it a great place to be.”
Saint John’s EMT Squad is a part of the Saint John’s University Life Safety Department. The squad members provide rapid response to any medical emergency that occurs in the Saint John’s community. It’s made up of volunteers –CSB and SJU community members.
All EMT Squad volunteer members are certified as EMTs through the Minnesota Office of Emergency Medical Services. Members provide coverage for the Saint John’s community 24/7, throughout the academic year.
To help members maintain their certification, the EMT Squad schedules training events all year long. Sunday, April 13, was the last scheduled training for this year. Marion Voigt Larson ’04, who provides EMS education for the squad, was determined to close the year with a bang.
The result was “Respond-o-Rama,” a competition-style event that some described as an EMT Olympics. “It’s testing their skills, but in a fun and competitive way,” said Voigt Larson. “The EMTs have worked hard all year to expand their skills and stay on top.”
Between evaluators, organizers and volunteer “victims,” 41 people engaged to help eight Bennie and Johnnie EMTs and four emergency medical responders (a lower level of medical certification) sharpen and test their skills.
“It was a pretty cool and meaningful event,” confirmed Braith. “We got to experience new scenarios that broadened our knowledge on things we could end up using in the future. My favorite part was definitely getting to develop my teamwork skills.”
According to Voigt Larson, the EMT Squad program is an uncommon opportunity in higher education. “There are groups at other colleges, but our squad is unique. It came about because our campus is fairly isolated. The EMT Squad, the Life Safety Department and the Fire Department are definitely there to care for the community.”
And while the squad “leans heavily on pre-med and nursing students,” she points out that it involves students of all majors. (Voigt Larson herself was a political science major when she served two years on the EMT Squad.) “It’s an amazing opportunity for them to sharpen creativity skills, complex problem solving and out-of-the-box thinking in ways that are unlike anything they’re going to encounter academically.”
“Being an EMT and a part of this team has given me experiences I know will be essential in medical school and as I journey toward becoming a physician,” said Braith.
Among the volunteers recruited as evaluators for Respond-o-Rama was one of the squad’s original founders, Dr. Kevin Wentworth ’89. Before Wentworth arrived on campus, there had been a role for students certified as EMTs, but no real organization or training. He and Tom Zwilling ’89 “drafted the original bylaws and were able to obtain funding for education, training and equipment back in 1986,” said Wentworth.
“Coming back to campus to help out with this EMT training event was a true privilege,” Wentworth continued. “To see the passion and level of volunteer dedication to the team’s mission was just amazing. You can see the pride they take in their role of helping others – entirely within the scope of a volunteer program.”
That said, Voigt Larson points out that programs like the EMT Squad and the Saint John’s Fire Department have a genuine, consistent need for volunteers from the student community. She notes that the EMT Squad even offers training pathways toward EMT certification for interested students.
Students curious about volunteer service with the EMT Squad, Life Safety and/or the Saint John’s Fire Department can start by reaching out to Shawn Vierzba, SJU director of Life Safety services, at 320-363-2144 or [email protected].
