After a tumultuous period of uncertainty, Brown Emergency Medical Services is back on track with new leadership, University officials and student emergency medical technicians told The Herald.
Early last semester, EMS manager Richard Lapierre and supervisor Anthony Fusco abruptly departed, leaving the program short-staffed, with only a temporary manager responsible for its coordination.
Student EMTs last semester reported a tense environment created by poor communication from University officials about the staff changes and the decision to sell the University's second ambulance. "A lot of the problems this semester have come from student EMTs feeling like they are being left out of the loop," Beth Hoffman '07, then a senior EMT, told The Herald in March.
Still, the program successfully received accreditation in a surprise audit last spring and now has a new manager and two new professional EMT supervisors, said Edward Wheeler, director of Health Services.
Amy Sanderson-Roderick is now the manager of safety and EMS, which has a staff of four paid EMT supervisors and over 150 volunteers.
Sanderson-Roderick, who has worked at the University as an EMT supervisor for five years, characterized EMS as "a program undergoing change," adding that the program is "full of positive energy and ready to move forward."
Now that she has been appointed head of EMS, Sanderson-Roderick said she plans to oversee several changes this semester, including better coordination with the Department of Public Safety and other University offices.
Wheeler said Sanderson-Roderick will "tighten up the ship a bit" by updating logs and personnel files more frequently and keeping more complete records.
Sanderson-Roderick and Wheeler both stressed that they want EMS to be seen as more of an educational program.
"We want to recommit to a few principles that are important to EMS," Wheeler said. "It was started by students, and students contribute a huge amount to the functioning of EMS, so we are trying to reestablish our commitment to them in terms of teaching."
The program has long hosted monthly seminars on topics ranging from clearing airways to emergency gynecology and obstetrics, but EMT supervisors will now also have a master list of topics to teach student EMTs during their shifts, Sanderson-Roderick said.
"There is now an expectation that there will be teaching on every shift," Sanderson-Roderick said.
Jeffrey Devine, a trained paramedic and registered nurse who is one of the two new EMT supervisors, will coordinate the program's educational efforts, Sanderson-Roderick said. The other new supervisor, Brendan McStay, will take responsibility for keeping equipment up-to-date and operational.
"(Devine) has a number of years of EMT experience, working as a paramedic in Boston ... and training to be a registered nurse," Sanderson-Roderick said, adding that his commitment and excitement level about teaching is in line with EMS's emphasis on education.
Student EMTs interviewed by The Herald had only positive things to say about the upcoming year at EMS.
EMS will "focus on education (and) getting involved with the community," said Alex Neusner '08, a senior EMT who has been involved in the program since his freshmen year.
Neusner had strong praise for Sanderson-Roderick, who he said "really cares about the student and is really compassionate ... and is trying really hard." There is rarely a night that she is not working, he said.
Though he was abroad for EMS's tumultuous spring semester, Neusner said this semester will be a positive step forward, if not a "rebuilding year."
"I am really excited for this semester. It will be different ... but we hope to maintain a high quality of services while trying some new things," he said.
