Waiting for an ambulance to get to North campus could take quite some time, but UB's Medical Emergency Response Team (MERT) knows that every minute counts and have assembled a team of first responders to jump on the scene fast.
"[We are] what's called a first-response team; an SUV with emergency lights and sirens and all the necessary medical equipment," said Andrew Jacobowitz, co-founder of UB MERT and sophomore biomedical sciences major. "We get dispatched by the campus police department, stabilize the patient, start treating them, and when the ambulance arrives, they take them to the hospital."
The non-profit, student-run organization in its infancy was established by two certified emergency medical technicians (EMT) who wanted to create a medical team that could help out students and staff while giving future medical students the hands-on experience of treating patients. All members are trained and certified to help prepare victims for the ambulance ride.
Ranging far and wide, once UB MERT is fully recognized, first-responders can assist patients with many reactions and emergencies during any possible delay of ambulance arrival, according to Anthony Lazzaro, co-founder of UB MERT and [year, undecided major].
"[We could] help with basically anything you can think of: cardiac emergency, respiratory/asthma attacks, overdoses, allergies, any kind of trauma or general illness," Lazzaro said.
Emergency technicians and doctors from all over Erie County have agreed to assist UB MERT in training and preparation to help the organization become more efficient and autonomous, according to their Web site.
"We want to bring in everyone that's in EMS (emergency medical services) together and have a general organization ... to give back to the UB community and help students," Lazzaro said. "It's good for experience."
Pre-medical students looking to learn outside of the library and lecture halls are recommended to look into UB MERT because of the skills that can't be learned by way of studying.
"No matter how much you know in the book, there's a great portion of it that has to do with experience and hands-on capabilities," Jacobowitz said. "To know all the drugs is great, but it's equally as important to talk to a patient in a time of need and help them through their problems. This would be a great way to get kids that are interested in health professions hands-on experience."
According to Lazzarro, teams can respond to over 700 medical emergencies per year. The 80-member team of undergraduate and graduate students get a chance to polish their hands-on medical skills while assisting the local medical and fire emergency workforce.
Once instated, UB MERT intends to focus its initial efforts on North Campus to establish a well-run organization. The members hope to expand their presence to include South Campus soon after, with the help of more volunteers.
Information on how you can get involved in UB MERT is posted on their Web site, http://wings.buffalo.edu/sa/mert.
