CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCIV) — As the College of Charleston men’s basketball team takes the court to cheering fans, some in the crowd are more worried about health and safety than the score.
On site are medical professionals ready to heal.
More than 20 years ago the college’s student-run EMT program got its start. In 2011, MUSC donated an ambulance to the school.
Jack Golder, a senior at CofC, says the program continues to grow. He explained what goes into some of the planning for the EMTs to work an event like last month’s Cougars’ home game against the University of North Carolina.
“There’s a ton of prep that went into this. We sit down, talk about all the athletic injuries that a player may sustain. All the injuries that even the people in crowd may sustain as well," Golder said.
Golder also works for Charleston County’s EMS unit. He’s one of 40 or so students enrolled in CofC’s EMT program.
Golder says the experience is as real as it gets while working a 911 call response.
“So, if you call 911 and we’re the closest unit on or off campus we’ll come and take you to the hospital," Golder said.
Overseeing the program is veteran medic Captain David McDonough.
"We are an EMT certified program. We are DHEC certified nationally registered EMTs," McDonough explained.
The trained students take rotations riding in the ambulance and responding to calls. They work from 5 p.m. until 7 a.m. the next day.
While not all the students are interested in continuing on as an EMT after college, many do plan on following up in other medical-related professions.
With many agencies around the country- including Berkeley and Dorchester Counties- dealing with EMT shortages, the hope is programs like CofC’s will help.
"I’d like to think that we’re a feeder program for the agencies ... and I think that the agencies see that as well," McDonough said.
Regardless of what part of the medical field the students go into, McDonough believes it’ll make a lifelong impact.
"We’re providing basic life support just as any other agency would be serving this exact same level," McDonough said.
The program is student-run and voluntary.
The ambulance service is free of charge to CofC community members who are treated and/or transported to the hospital.
This article was originally posted at https://abcnews4.com/news/local/cofc-student-run-emt-program-provides-students-real-life-experience-wciv
BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C. (WCIV) — Keeping ahead of emergency calls is tough for those in the business of handling medical emergencies.
In this environment where EMS agencies nationwide are struggling to hire new workers, Lowcountry agencies are no different.
Berkeley County's Emergency Medical Services is attempting to hire 84 EMTs and paramedics, said its leader Michael Shirey. At the moment, he has several open positions for each.
“In order to make up for those shifts that are covered by employees, our existing employees pick up extra shifts," Shirey says.
Shirey says that's normal, but its becoming more common.
Despite the job openings and crews working extra hours, Shirey is pleased with the fact that all calls for help have been answered.
Shirey says, “We have not experienced anytime where we've not been able to respond to somebody's call.”
He even says they've dealt during the pandemic they've dealt with a record number of requests for help.
But, Shirey and others point out that the staffing shortages began as far back as 2017 due to lower enrollment in EMT training schools.
Berkeley County and other agencies are working with area schools, including the College of Charleston, and Explorer programs to begin training future recruits.
Charleston County says it's not experiencing a shortage, but it's trying to fill 64 new positions.
Dorchester County however, is experiencing a shortage. They have 18 job vacancies.
This article was originally posted at https://abcnews4.com/news/local/emergency-medical-services-across-lowcountry-searching-for-workers.
By Katherine Jordan|September 14, 2021|All News, Campus Life, Students|
Day in and day out, many people pass by the College of Charleston ambulance tucked between the St. Philip Street Parking Garage and the BellSouth Building without a glance until its lights and siren signal an emergency. Little does the public realize that CofC students, who serve as emergency response volunteers, man the ambulance.
Since 1995, the College has had its own emergency medical technicians (EMTs) providing medical care and transportation free of charge to students, faculty and staff as well as the surrounding community. The College of Charleston Emergency Medical Services (EMS) team is in service throughout the school year from 5 p.m. until 7 a.m.
To join this elite team, volunteers must get certified as an EMT, which means they have to complete a 16-week Emergency Medical Technician Basic (EMT-B) credited course. Through the course, they learn about anatomy, physiology, EMS operations, and patient assessment and treatment. The group is also licensed by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control as a Basic Life Support (BLS) transport agency and has an average response time of three minutes.
“These students go through approximately 250 hours of training to receive their EMT-B certification,” explains Megan Golbus, a senior biology major at the College and the student EMS director. “The class is put on through the Lowcountry Regional Emergency Medical Services Council held on our campus in the BellSouth Building.”
The program is helpful for students interested in the medical field who are looking for real-world experience.
“We respond to all calls on CofC’s campus and calls in the surrounding area when requested by Charleston County,” shares Golbus. “Students who choose to get their clinical hours through CofC EMS get an unprecedented amount of autonomy and are able to develop quick decision-making skills.”
Capt. David McDonough, an EMT-B certified fire marshal with CofC, has worked at the College for more than 10 years and has served more than 30 years as a first responder. He has seen much in his time and is beyond proud of the students who come through the program.
“Many of our members after graduation continue in the medical profession, go on to medical school or continue in emergency services,” says McDonough. “But wherever they end up, there are many great experiences that come from being a College of Charleston first responder. I often reflect on these young professionals and say ‘The world is a better place for these young professional adults, and I know the future will be bright with them in it.’”
Jack Golder is a proud member of the EMS team and a senior who is majoring in public health and minoring in biology and medical humanities.
“I originally joined the EMS program for the opportunities it would give me as a pre-med student,” he says. “It provided both clinical and volunteer hours/experiences as an undergrad student and that is exactly what medical schools look for on your application.”
Golbus and Golder, both of whom are students in the Honors College, want to go into the medical field and stay involved in the EMS scene after their time at CofC. Golbus plans to attend medical school to become a pre-hospital emergency physician. Because of joining CofC EMS, however, she has decided to take a gap year to get her EMT paramedic certification and go to paramedic school before medical school. Golder plans to go straight to medical school to become a pediatric emergency physician.
But he’s learned that his time with the College of Charleston EMS team is about more than just gaining experience.
“It has allowed me to meet other students with similar interests and create almost like a second family,” he says.
Alongside his second family, Golder’s eyes have been opened to the world of EMS providers, as he’s gone on calls to help real people with real emergencies.
“As an agency that runs mutual aid for Charleston County EMS, we get to run calls for their agency when they are busy,” he explains. “With this, we are not only exposed to a diverse field of patients, but also providers that come from all walks of life and have different styles of patient care.
“We go beyond the campus and into the real Charleston that most students never get to see,” adds Golder. “We meet lifelong residents, transplants and everything in between. It shows us that our job isn’t just the medicine – sometimes it’s about showing compassion to those who just need someone to talk to.”
To join the College of Charleston EMS team and become a local hero for the CofC community, contact the EMS Training Office at
Katherine Jordan is a junior at the College of Charleston, double-majoring in English and music.
This article was originally posted at https://today.cofc.edu/2021/09/14/college-of-charleston-ems-comes-to-the-rescue-on-campus-and-beyond/.
Story and Photos by Diane Knich
The Post and Courier
College of Charleston EMS volunteer Lisa Petruncio wasn't sure what she would find when she responded to a recent call about an accident in a campus laboratory.
When she arrived on the scene of the freak accident, a patient had a knife lodged at least two inches deep into his arm. "It looked like a Halloween costume," she said.
Petruncio, who is a senior, is one of 23 students who volunteer in the campus EMS program, which has been responding to accidents, injuries and medical emergencies on the campus since 1995. The team's work was recognized last month when they were named Organization of the Year by the National Collegiate EMS Foundation. It's not an easy volunteer gig.
Read more: College of Charleston student EMS team lands national award
