History and Overview
Illini Emergency Medical Services is a BLS, non-transport service located at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. IEMS was founded in 1979 by student EMTs who decided that the two first-aid rooms at Memorial Stadium did not allow for adequate medical coverage of a typical stadium event. Our primary responsibility is to provide EMS support to sporting events on campus, such as football (stadium capacity ~60,000). We also provide EMS teams to the Krannert Center for Performing Arts, the campus commencement ceremonies, and special events such as concerts and conferences.
IEMS is funded through annual dues from its members, donations for working events, and from our CPR, EMT-Basic, and First Responder classes. In addition, each semester we apply for Registered Student Organization funds and have been very generously rewarded in the past. IEMS also receives some equipment, such as AEDs, from the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics.
At present, IEMS has over 300 members trained in CPR, First Aid, First Responder, or EMT-B. Several members are EMT-I or EMT-P, but our organization is only permitted to work up to the EMT-B level by our Medical Director. IEMS runs approximately 100 calls per year. Response time for calls depends upon the event being worked, but is always under five minutes.
Goals of IEMS
Our purpose as a University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Registered Student Organization is to administer prompt, efficient, effective, and responsible pre-hospital basic life support care to the public. This specifically includes Illinois students, faculty, staff, and their guests at Illinois events where IEMS is officially represented. We also act to promote and to create educational programs to familiarize members and the community with pre-hospital medical care. These programs include, but are not limited to, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), first aid (FA), CPR instructor (CPR-I), first responder (FR), emergency medical technician-basic (EMT-B), and continuing education (CE) courses. We also encourage the maintenance and advancement of the skills and abilities of all IEMS members.
Administration
IEMS is divided into four departments: Operations, Education, Finance and Public Relations. Each department has one director and multiple assistants. The president oversees the entire organization.
Our office is open weekdays from 9am-5pm when University of Illinois classes are in session during fall and spring semesters. Our office is closed on weekends, holidays and during the summer months. Our office is located in the RSO complex on the second floor of the Union. Room: 258 Illini Union. To get to the RSO complex take the stairs in the SW corner of the Union (on the quad side).
Contact Us
258 Illini Union
1401 W. Green Street
Urbana, IL 61801
[email protected]
(217)333-9492
