Hey Huskies,
Welcome! Here, we will give you a closer look at the workings of our organization and the experiences of our EMTs. Each month, we publish new content such as Day in the Life features, safety tips for different settings, insights into becoming a UWEMS EMT, and more.
UWEMS was first envisioned two years ago with the goal of strengthening campus safety. Collegiate EMS agencies have long been established on the East Coast, where they have proven effective at reducing response times to 911 calls, support basic life support education, and empower students to act in times of need. Inspired by this model and recognizing the need on our own campus, our founders set out to establish Washington’s first university based EMS agency.
We began our official call response operations during Winter Quarter 2025. Our headquarters are located in Smith Hall, the center of campus, providing us the capability to arrive at any call within minutes. When anyone on UW campus calls 911 during our operating hours, we get dispatched along with the Seattle Fire Department. We ride our e-bikes to the scene, respond accordingly, and then transfer care to SFD once they arrive. Once SFD assumes patient care, we stay to assist them with anything from taking vitals to clearing crowds.
UWEMS also increases general campus safety by providing free CPR and Narcan training sessions to all members of the UW community, which makes us better prepared in case of an emergency.
Stay tuned to this blog to follow our journey as we continue to grow and serve the UW community. Whether you’re interested in joining our team, learning more about emergency preparedness, or simply curious about what goes on behind the scenes, we’ll be sharing it all right here. Thank you for supporting UWEMS – together, we’re making our campus a safer place for everyone.
Stay tuned for future posts!
– The UWEMS Outreach Team