Introducing UWEMS!

Hey Huskies! 

Welcome to the UWEMS Blog! Here, we will give you all a closer look into the workings of our organization. We will be posting new content every month, including Day in the Lives, Staying Safe in various settings, the road to becoming a UWEMS EMT, and so much more. We’re so excited to have you here! 

UWEMS was first theorized two years ago with the intention of increasing campus safety. Collegiate EMS agencies are all over the East Coast, and they greatly increase response times to 911 calls. Quicker response times can be the difference between life or death. Our founders saw an opportunity to keep our UW community safer and healthier by creating a collegiate EMS agency here in Washington. 

We began our official call response operations during Winter Quarter 2025. Our headquarters are located in Smith Hall, the center of campus, providing us the capability to arrive at any call within minutes.  When anyone on UW campus calls 911 during our operating hours, we get dispatched along with the Seattle Fire Department. We ride our e-bikes to the scene, respond accordingly, and then transfer care to SFD once they arrive. Once SFD assumes patient care, we stay to assist them with anything from taking vitals to clearing crowds. 

UWEMS also increases general campus safety by providing free CPR and Narcan training sessions to all members of the UW community, which makes us better prepared in case of an emergency.  

UWEMS is still growing, and our goals include expanding our operational hours to 24/7 and growing our team of undergraduate EMTs! Here’s what a daily shift generally looks like:  

1. Bag check and equipment sign out 

2. Respond to 911 calls on campus 

3. Skills training, UWEMS work, team bonding, other homework (When there aren’t calls) 

4. Equipment sign in 

Stay tuned to this blog to follow our journey as we continue to grow and serve the UW community. Whether you're interested in joining our team, learning more about emergency preparedness, or simply curious about what goes on behind the scenes, we'll be sharing it all right here. Thank you for supporting UWEMS – together, we're making our campus a safer place for everyone. 

Stay tuned for future posts! 

Best,

The UWEMS Team