Release

UAlbany's Five Quad Ambulance Service Wins 2005 EMS Foundation's National Skills Competition
Volunteer service takes home a trophy for the first time

Contact: Catherine Herman (518) 437-4980

ALBANY, N.Y. (March 15, 2005) -- UAlbany's Five Quad Volunteer Ambulance Service won the trauma competition and came in third overall during the 2005 National Collegiate EMS Foundation's competition held in Philadelphia on February 25, 2005.

Some 580 representatives of campus EMS organizations from 73 schools across the U.S. attended the conference. UAlbany's Five Quad competed in the national skills competition, consisting of several challenges. Each of the teams was given different scenarios in which to compete, including a trauma call, a medical call that was cardiac related, and a team building-rescue case. UAlbany's team, which consisted of four members, took home a first-place trophy for their outstanding performance in the trauma scenario. The team placed third in the overall competition, in which clinical, leadership and creativity skills were tested, placing behind the University of Delaware and Georgetown University.

For thirty years, UAlbany students, extensively trained in American Red Cross cardiopulmonary resuscitation and first aid, have responded to the University community's emergency needs. Five Quad Volunteer Ambulance Service is staffed and organized by students, with some help from alumni and other former University students, who give from 20 to 40 hours a week of their time to answer some 600 calls during the academic year. The service is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week during the spring and fall academic semesters.