Associated Students of Madison issued formal support for the registered student organization BadgerEMS’ proposal to create a student-based emergency medical service program at University of Wisconsin, according to ASM legislation.
ASM anti-violence chair Jake Wesson said the proposal aims to supplement the valuable emergency services provided by the Madison Fire Department, the sole EMS responders responsible for UW currently.
“There were over 200 times last year where every single ambulance in the city of Madison was out on call, meaning if there was a medical emergency on campus, or in Madison in general, they probably have to call for mutual aid from another city,” Jake Wesson said.
Around 70% of the calls MFD receives are medical-related, according to the MFD website. They have nine advanced life support ambulances staffed with two paramedics each, according to their site.
Freshman enrollment rates have increased three years in a row, producing record enrollment rates in 2024, according to Universities of Wisconsin. The city of Madison population has also been growing, increasing by nearly 6% since 2020, according to World Population Review.
“[UW] is a small city within a city, essentially,” Jake Wesson said. “What we’re seeing is we have our own snow plows, garbage trucks, a lot of campus self functions, but what we don’t have is an EMS service that can help students who have medical emergencies on campus.”
The proposed service would be entirely free for UW students, Jake Wesson said.
BadgerEMS would avoid major ongoing costs by operating entirely by Emergency Medical Training-certified student volunteers, Jake Wesson said.
“I had initial concerns at first … a lot of students get paid for EMT services working for private ambulance companies like Ryan Brothers and Midwest Medical,” Jake Wesson said. “But they most likely do interfacility transport … so not really any of that emergency response.”
BadgerEMS has provided volunteer standby coverage for events such as marathons, the UW Engineering Expo and equestrian team competitions in the Madison community already, Jake Wesson said.
Over 350 students expressed interest in volunteering for BadgerEMS’ proposed program last fall, according to Jake Wesson, and he said several students have approached him directly asking about the progress of the proposal and when they can get involved. ASM press office director Drew Wesson said that, from what he understands, there is an EMS shortage in parts of rural Wisconsin.
“Giving students the opportunity to practice that here, and kind of getting involved in that career field, I think would be helpful not just for Madison, but the entire state,” Drew Wesson said.
BadgerEMS’ initial proposal calls for the program to be nontransport, meaning they would not be responsible for transferring patients in need of further care to the hospital, Jake Wesson said.
The program hopes to eventually emulate Georgetown University’s Emergency Response Medical Program — which has two ambulances — 10-15 years down the line, if implemented, according to Jake Wesson.
“[This program] would enhance Madison’s mission of civic engagement, the Wisconsin idea, and giving back not only to campus, but to the city, too,” Jake Wesson said. “The way I see it, it’s a very win-win-win situation for the university.”
