A Friday night date with FUERT

For the average Fairfield student, Friday nights consist of partying with friends, occasionally making bad decisions and trying to remember it all the next morning

This past Friday, however, I spent my night in the confines of the Public Safety office with two dedicated members of the Fairfield University EMS Rescue Team [FUERT] anxiously waiting to respond to the first call for assistance.

Beginning Nov. 9, the FUERT team has been responding to x2241 calls made by students, Resident Assistants and Area Coordinators on Tuesday, Friday and Saturday nights.

The FUERT team has two members who respond to calls, along with one Public Safety officer who meets the FUERT representatives at the scene.

"It's great to have them," said Susan Allen, registered nurse at the Health Center. "I think students feel more comfortable dealing with their peers as opposed to only a Public Safety officer."

I accompanied captain and safety officer Pete Malfa '10, and officer-in-training Chris Lacerenza '11 Friday night as they fulfilled their duties as the first respondents to calls in the quad.

"I like to help people," said Lacerenza. "I don't enjoy dealing with students when they get sick, but other than that, I love being on duty."

Despite it being a calm Friday night, the team has had nights that required them to respond to more than three calls.

Gary Nelson, director of the Health Center, said that the reason many incidents have not occurred recently is the time of the year.

"The first few weeks of the fall semester and the last few weeks of the spring semester are the most troublesome," he said.

"The team will be more busy once the weather gets warmer and kids feel that the end of the semester is near," according to Nelson.

Each night the team is on duty, either two or three members of the FUERT team remain on call from 7 p.m-2 a.m. The downtime is spent in the Public Safety training room, sipping bottomless mugs of coffee and going over signals and procedures that are essential while in the line of duty.

"I think this is a fine program that is doing a lot for the University," said Public Safety Officer Lee Zwally, advisor to the FUERT team.

"I think the program has been a success and has been far better than expected. I hope the program can continue moving in the direction it is headed."

"I think this FUERT first response program is a great idea," said Lt. Diana Westcott '10. "I think it coincides with the University's idea of cura personalis, and brings volunteer work, education and experience for its members into one activity."