May 15, 2003
A New Leader to EMeRG
First-Responder Kimberly Stambler Responds First to
University Calling
By John
Carroll
When Kimberly Stambler graduates May 18, she’ll receive more than
just her BA in psychology with a minor in biology, she’ll become
the University’s first full-time coordinator of the Emergency Medical
Response Group (EMeRG). And while she’s seated among her fellow
graduates on the Ellipse, eight of her crew members will be patrolling
the crowd and working the first-aid tent, ready to respond to any health-related
emergency.
EMeRG, the volunteer basic life support and first-responder group that
has operated at GW since 1996, is automatically dispatched, along with
University Police Department (UPD) officers, to emergency situations
on the GW campus. Each year they respond to as many as 300 calls, and
regularly patrol any major University function from basketball games
to Spring Fling. The increased growth and versatility of EMeRG has created
the need for a full-time coordinator. UPD launched a nationwide search
for the perfect person to head the 50-person agency and ultimately chose
Stambler for skill, experience, and connection to the community.
“She logged many hours as a volunteer in order to provide this
valuable service to GW,” says Dolores Stafford, UPD chief. “We
couldn’t ask for a better beginning from a leader of the program.
[Stambler] understands where we have been and our goals for the future.”
Stambler joined EMeRG in her sophomore year, receiving her Emergency
Medical Technician certification from the University. She is proud of
the growth she has seen in the group since that time.
“When I first joined in 2000, there were about about 10 members
responding [to calls while] carrying 70 pounds of equipment on bicycles,”
recalls Stambler. “We were only in service from 7 pm until 3 am.
In just three short years, we have over 50 members in service 24–7
and we have a Chevy Tahoe that we use as a quick response vehicle to
transport equipment and crew to the scene.”
According to Stambler, one of her goals for the group is the development
of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and Automatic External Defibrillator
(AED) programs. CPR consists of mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and chest
compressions, allowing oxygenated blood to circulate to vital organs
such as the brain and heart. CPR can keep a person alive until more
advanced procedures can treat the cardiac arrest. AEDs are designed
to be used by non-medical personnel, so cardiac arrest victims don’t
have to wait for emergency crews to arrive to receive potentially life-saving
treatment. The device, about the size of a gym bag, can be used to monitor
heart rate, determine if the heart’s rhythm is normal, and deliver
life-saving electric shocks to restart the heart or correct an irregular
heartbeat.
“We’ve coordinated the purchase and installation of the AEDs
and will be providing CPR/AED training to the staff in those facilities
so they know how to use it,” says Stambler. Stambler and EMeRG
also have been working with the District of Columbia Fire Department
and Emergency Medical Services to obtain an ambulance.
As EMeRG grows and improves the quality of its service to the community,
Stambler is planning for the future by working with the student management
team. “My job is to work with the student leaders of the group
to keep pushing EMeRG forward as we have been for the past three years,”
says Stambler.
She is grateful to UPD and Stafford for giving her the opportunity to
be coordinator, and also credits Ryan Miller, the part-time coordinator
for two years, with providing invaluable advice and insight.
She is proud to be part of an organization that gives back to the community.
She stresses the importance of the time and dedication of the volunteers.
“I am honored to be around a large group of motivated individuals
who genuinely enjoy helping people,” says Stambler. “Students
are busy. On a Friday night they may want to be with their friends having
fun but instead they are here. That’s just incredible to me.”
Send feedback to: bygeorge@gwu.edu
