About Us
Our History
Loyola University Chicago Emergency Medical Service (LUCEMS) was established by a group of LUC students who recognized the benefits of having trained EMTs on a college campus. After several attempts at starting the program, the university agreed in late 2007 to establish an Emergency Medical Service under the supervision of Campus Safety on the Lake Shore Campus of Loyola University Chicago.
Soon a core group of individuals led by Anna Gillio, Greg Greene and Mike O'Brien began laying the foundation for the program and Tom Grawey and Nick Pierce soon joined the ranks. In early 2008 they were matched up with Ofc. Tim Cunningham from Campus Safety to begin the long process of getting the program from paper to reality. The departments of Student Affairs and Facilities worked together to help get the program started. The department of Residence Life donated the use of a dorm room to serve as the quarters and base for LUCEMS.
The first year of service was an incredible success. LUCEMS responded to over 150 medical emergencies on campus and staffed numerous special and high profile events. A CPR training program was also started and in its first year, certified over 200 Loyola University students, faculty and staff in CPR and AED use.
LUCEMS also started an EMT-B certification course taught for Loyola students that over the course of four semesters trained 102 LUC students. In the Spring of 2009, it was decided that in order to give the proper credit to students taking the EMT-B class, it was to be absorbed by the School of Continuing and Professional Studies who started teaching the course in the Fall of 2009. The class was later run by the School of Nursing for a number of years before dropping the class.
How LUCEMS Works
The program has two facets to it; the Responder portion and the Educational portion.
August 2008 saw the start of the Responder portion of the program. This part has volunteer LUC students with a minimum of an EMT-B license responding to medical calls that occur on Loyola's Lakeshore Campus.
The goal of the educational program is to train members of the Loyola community in CPR/AED and First Aid. LUCEMS believes that early recognition and care is the best way to save a life and wants to make the Loyola community an advocate for emergency care. For more information, please visit our CPR page.
Both parts of the program are run by a student staffed Executive Board made up of students with EMS experience. The E-Board takes care of the day to day operational aspects of the program and insure the longevity of LUCEMS. Faculty/Staff supervision comes from Campus Safety.
Medical Direction comes from Loyola University Medical Center EMS
Stats
Year |
Number of Calls |
|
2008-2009 |
148 |
| 2009-2010 | 230 |
| 2010-2011 | 225 |
| 2011-2012 | 242 |
| 2012-2013 | 208 |
| 2013-2014 | 233 |
| 2014-2015 | 240 |
| 2015-2016 | 227 |
| 2016-2017 | 249 |
| 2017-2018 | 200 |
| 2018-2019 | 224 |
| 2019-2020 | 128 |
| 2020-2021 | 14 |
| 2021-2022 | 165 |
| Total | 2,424 |
Former Directors
As a student based program, LUCEMS relies upon volunteer students to step-up and help lead the program for the year. Many of the things that LUCEMS has accomplished would not be possible if it were not for the exemplary work done by these directors.
- 2008-2009: Greg Greene
- 2009-2010: Tom Grawey
- 2010-2011: Dylan Weidlich/Orhay Mirzapolos
- 2011-2012: Casey Foley
- 2012-2013: Jon Winarski
- 2013-2014: Ola Wojtowicz
- 2014-2015: James Stephens
- 2015-2016: Matt Stoffers
- 2016-2017: Daniel Strama
- 2017-2018: Jennifer Grant
- 2018-2019: Renee Ringler
- 2019-2020: Nicolas Jozefowski
- 2020-2021: Andrew Vigansky
- 2021-2022: Michelle Sauer
