Investigating the Current Status of Collegiate Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Organizations via a National Survey Study and Tracing the History of Arizona State University EMS Department

Emergency Medical Services (EMS) first response personnel treat urgent and immediate

illnesses and injuries in prehospital settings, and transport patients to definitive care if needed. EMS originated during warfare. The practice of rescuing wounded soldiers started during the Byzantine Empire, and developed along with other medical advances to the present day. Civilian EMS in the United States grew rapidly starting in the 1960s. Following the landmark National Research Council white paper of “Accidental Death and Disability: The Neglected Disease of Modern Society”, the nation addressed the key issues and problems faced in delivering emergency medical services. Today, colleges and universities often sponsor EMS organizations to serve populations concentrated in complex campuses. These are collectively known as Collegiate-Based Emergency Medical Services (CBEMS). By September 2018, there were 252 registered CBEMS organizations in the United States. Most are affiliated with the National Collegiate Emergency Medical Services Foundation (NCEMSF), which advocates, encourages, and provides support for CBEMS organizations. A survey repeating prior work (1996 and 2005) was sent to all NCEMSF registered CBEMS organizations, and 24 responded. The survey included questions on demographics, response capacities, coverage, organization, and logistics information. Locally, Arizona State University Student Emergency Medical Services (SEMS at ASU) began as an all-student-run volunteer organization in 2008. In 2018, SEMS at ASU became ASU EMS, as an official subdivision of the ASU Environmental Health Safety (EH&S) Department. This study summarizes the history of EMS, investigates the current status of CBEMS organizations and traces the history of ASU EMS from a volunteer group to an official department.