Having a first response volunteer program at the University of Tampa will significantly impact the UT community and its members. This program is important because aside from health center staff, there are not many other individuals on campus who are qualified to provide emergency or first aid care. Injured students or other individuals might not be able to get an appointment right away, may have trouble traveling to an off campus clinic, or may have limited access to the health center if it is the weekend or if it is after hours.

The creation of this program would allow for students with current EMT certifications to volunteer their time to respond to minor injuries or wounds which may occur on campus. Examples include acute injuries such as large cuts, scrapes, burns, sprains, etc. If the injured individual cannot receive treatment from the health center or off campus clinic for any reason, then our volunteers will be present and equipped to provide first aid care. We will always receive consent before providing advice or treatment, and we will always recommend that injured students or other individuals complete a follow up with the health center or other clinic of their choosing.

Overall, this program is beneficial because the members of our UT community can receive the first aid care they need, and first aid volunteers can receive valuable experiences and interactions. We hope you will choose to support the health and safety of our campus!