Who We Are

The Villanova Emergency Medical Service is a 100% student-run, volunteer ambulance service licensed and dedicated to providing Basic Life Support (BLS) care to Villanova University’s campus community of approximately 12,000 students, faculty, and staff. The Villanova EMS membership consists of more than 50 undergraduate students, the majority of which are certified as Emergency Medical Technicians within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Our members volunteer more than 25,000 hours annually to provide emergency care for the Villanova community 24 hours/day, 7 days/week throughout most of the calendar year.

How We Started

Villanova EMS was originally founded as First Responders in late 1989 by undergraduate student Brian Herrick. Recognizing a lack of emergency medical care, Herrick, along with friends and fellow classmates, saw an opportunity for students to provide such care for the Villanova community. Initially, First Responders provided first aid at athletic competitions and other special events. Then in 1992, the first responders became recognized as Villanova EMS upon receiving its Quick Response Service (QRS) certification. This certification coupled with the purchase of a 1979 Ford van-type ambulance (appropriately nicknamed "The Beast"), allowed Villanova EMS members to respond to the scene of an emergency and provide medical care prior to the arrival of a transport ambulance responding from the neighboring Radnor Fire Company.

In 2002, Villanova EMS was relocated to the brand new Health Services Building, where it remains today. Amenities of the new headquarters include:

a fully furnished crew room, a full kitchen and dining area, a full bathroom, two furnished bedrooms with five crew beds, a walk-in equipment closet, a computer room for electronic charting, and an Executive Board/Administrative office.

In January of 2004, Villanova EMS received its brand new 2003 Horton 523 ambulance on a Ford E-450 chassis. This new vehicle replaced the seven year old ambulance, and currently provides the most comfortable ride and specialized equipment to properly care for patients.

In 2009, Villanova Emergency Medical Service is celebrating 20 years of service to the Villanova Community. VEMS has come a long way from its humble beginnings were 50-75 calls per year was the norm. Now VEMS averages between 650-700 calls for service annually. In its 20-year history VEMS has responded to over 10,000 incidents, VEMS member have been recognized with several successful CPR saves and VEMS looks toward the future of continued service to the Villanova Community.
 

The Call Comes In

When a medical emergency occurs on campus, an individual should dial 9-4444 (from a campus phone) or (610) 519-4444 (from a cell phone) to reach a dispatcher for the Villanova University Department of Public Safety. Public Safety will then dispatch Villanova EMS. Should an individual dial 911 from a personal phone instead of contacting Public Safety directly, the county dispatcher will contact the Department of Public Safety to request that Villanova EMS be dispatched.

Once dispatched for a medical emergency, the duty crew responds in a fully licensed and equipped Basic Life Support (BLS) ambulance. Due to the small size of our coverage area and location within campus, our average response time is less than three minutes. All life-threatening emergencies require the simultaneous dispatch of Advanced Life Support (ALS) Paramedics — typically Delaware

County Medic 109 — from Narberth Ambulance. While Villanova EMS services are free of charge to all of our patients, those seen and/or treated by Medic 109 will be billed for ALS services.

Most patients requiring transport will be taken to Bryn Mawr Hospital, located just 1.5 miles from Villanova's campus. Villanova EMS does, however, transport to Lankenau Hospital and Paoli Hospital on a regular basis. More critically injured patients may require transport to a trauma center — typically the Crozer-Chester Medical Center, The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, or the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (for critically injured pediatric patients). In rare instances, and under certain circumstances, Villanova EMS may request PennSTAR or MedEvac transport helicopters to transport critically injured patients to their final destination.

Accomplishments