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h What is CER?
Colby Emergency Response is a student run, volunteer rescue squad that serves the Colby College campus and community. We are available 24 hours per day and 7 days per week during the school year.

h What Do We Do?
CER responds to medical emergencies on campus as first responders, providing a patient assessment and on scene medical care, as needed (at the BLS/EMT-Basic level). We provide an informed decision for patient transport and treating facility based on medical necessity - most patients are taken to the Colby Garrison-Foster Health Center. For more serious situations, Delta Ambulance is dispatched to transport the patient to the Thayer Emergency Department. In some situations, the patient is treated and signs a release of care for no-transport.

h How Do We Operate?
Rescuers run 24-hour shifts on a per-diem basis. While on duty, they carry a radio and rescue pack throughout their normal campus life (with some limitations). When needed, CER is paged via radio by Colby Safety and Security; rescuers respond on foot and with Security.
Rescuers are staffed in teams of one to three people, always including a Rescue One; Rescue Two's are staffed according to personnel availability or necessity. The Rescue One (R1) is the more experienced EMT and is ultimately responsible for the call, patient care, and functions as a CER supervisor for each shift. The R1 has been running for CER as an EMT for at least a semester; from this, they have seen a greater call volume and had more experience with CER operations. Along with the R1, one or more Rescue Two's (R2 and R3) respond. R2's and R3's are also fully certified EMT's, they either have less experience or simply have not elected to test up to R1 (would prefer to run less due to their academic/extracurricular schedule). There is always an R1 on duty for every shift and call.

h Operational Information:
Because CER is a one-facility, limited-transport, first-response service, we are non-licensed. We operate from protocols set forth by our overseeing medical facility: the Colby Garrison-Foster Health Center . These protocols are similar to Maine EMS field protocols (July 2002), differing only in the transport options - allowing us to decide to transport to the Health Center or dispatch an ambulance. CER's coverage area is limited to the Colby Campus and we are permitted to operate at the EMT-Basic level within our designated protocols (Basic Life Support). The Garrison Foster Health Center functions as our Medical Control.

h What CER Offers the Community:

• Emergency medical response by certified EMT-Basics.
• Immediate, on scene, medical attention and aid and Basic Life Support (BLS) care.
• On scene triage so that patients may receive the necessary treatment and transport while still being able to utilize the Colby College Health Insurance.
• Maximize the time and resources of the Colby Security and Health Center, as well as Delta Ambulance, Waterville Fire and Rescue and local Emergency Departments.
• Health and Safety education and/or information.