The program, a volunteer service staffed by Quinnipiac students who are already emergency medical technicians, is licensed by the state of Connecticut to provide emergency medical services on the Mount Carmel and York Hill campuses.

Twenty student EMTs were introduced during a pinning ceremony on Tuesday, October 22.

"You are making our community healthier and safer – something we care deeply about at Quinnipiac, and wouldn’t be able to be as responsive to without you," President Judy Olian told the student volunteers. "This is a gift to our QU community."

“There are only 250 colleges and universities that have EMS programs,” said Edgar Rodriguez, chief of public safety at Quinnipiac. “We are very excited about this program. It will give our students the opportunity to serve other students and enhance the level of medical service here on campus.”

The student EMTs will provide non-transport services under the auspices of the Hamden Fire Department with oversight and support by university staff from Public Safety and the office of medical director Dr. Phillip Brewer.

Sophomore Katie Huntington, who is enrolled in the entry-level master's physician assistant program at Quinnipiac, has worked in the emergency department at Bristol Hospital.

“I am really excited to be a member of EMS team at Quinnipiac,” she said. “It will further ensure the safety and health of my peers at the university. This also will be a fantastic opportunity to grow and learn as a health care provider. I look forward to seeing the program develop throughout my next few years at Quinnipiac.”

Rodriguez said the new program also will allow health care students to supplement their patient contact hours without having to leave campus.

The EMTs will be uniformed and have access to an office, motorized cart, radios and medical supplies. They will work from 8 p.m.–8 a.m. on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. They will provide medical care, along with Public Safety officers, until the Hamden Fire Department arrives.

“It took a lot of work to get the program started,” Rodriguez said. “It is a great collaboration with the town of Hamden. We have built a great relationship with the Hamden Fire Department over the years and that relationship was instrumental in the process. I think the EMS program will continue to expand and be a great addition to the Quinnipiac community.”