How do I get TUEFRT to attend to an emergency?
Calling the campus security emergency number (705-748-1333) will dispatch TUEFRT.
What are your hours of operation?
TUEFRT runs 24/7 throughout the academic year (excluding reading weeks and holidays). You will get notifications on our social media pages when we go off-call and when we return on-call.
Are you on-call during Orientation Week?
Yes! TUEFRT is on-call during all of O-Week. We have 4 responders on for the week, with extra responders coming on for high volume events. There is one responder assigned to each of the main colleges on campus.
Where does TUEFRT respond to?
TUEFRT operates on the Symons Campus, including the annexes and Traill College.
What does TUEFRT respond to?
You can call TUEFRT for any injury or medical emergency. We respond to all calls regardless of the severity, including mental health emergencies.
What can/can't you do?
Can:
- Provide emergency interventions in life threatening situations
- Provide supportive care in non-life-threatening situations
- Help figure out what next steps to take if you are ill or injured
- Help you arrange transportation to get where you need to go
- Provide supportive care in mental health emergencies, help assess risk of suicide, and help discuss options for more advanced mental health support
Can't:
- We do not carry over the counter medications
- We have no authority to get you in trouble for anything
- Diagnose illnesses/injuries
- Put dislocated joints back into place
- Drive you anywhere.
What equipment do you carry in your packs?
- Automatic external defibrillator (AED)
- Bag valve mask
- Adult and paediatric cervical collars
- Traction device for femur fractures
- Manual suction device
- Oral pharyngeal airways
- Adult and paediatric Epi-pens
- Naloxone
- Glucose gel
- Oxygen
- Burn dressings
- Tourniquet
- Other traditional first aid supplies (bandages, slings, guaze etc.)
What happens when I call TUEFRT?
When you call 705-748-1333, a member of campus security will answer your call and gather some important information. They will then radio TUEFRT and relay the information to us. At least two, and usually three responders are on call at all times. We will make our way to your location, introduce ourselves, and start helping out! Our response time is usually around 5 minutes, but can vary depending on the call location and where the responders are when they get the call.
How do you get around?
TUEFRT responders walk or run to calls, taking into consideration the severity of the injury or illness, safety of responders, and the distance to the call. While we aim to get to every call as quickly as possible, we also need to be calm, composed, and able to start medical treatment when we arrive.
When called to respond to a location off the main campus, responders are driven by campus security.
How many people are on TUEFRT?
There are currently 31 members on our team.
What training do you have?
TUEFRT runs at Canadian Red Cross standards. During tryouts our responders are certified in Standard First Aid (SFA), and once on the team they are certified as First Responders (FR). We are currently in the process of upgrading our standard of care to Emergency Medical Responder (EMR), and currently have 19 team members certified at this level. Emergency Medical Responder is the highest level of first aid available through civilian courses, and is recognized by the Paramedic Association of Canada. The next highest level of certification would be Primary Care Paramedic.
Check out the Canadian Red Cross website for more information on each certification:
In addition to these formal certifications we also run mandatory monthly trainings, semesterly skills evaluations, and regular (usually weekly or bi-weekly optional trainings.
Can I come to your office if I need help?
We recommend calling the emergency line (705-748-1333) in the event of an emergency as there is no guarantee the on-call responders will be in the office. In most cases it would be fastest to call our line and have the responders be dispatched to your location. As a mobile emergency first response team, our office was not designed as a place to treat patients. We will treat anyone who comes by, but we ask that you understand and respect that our office is a place for team business, a place for off-call responders to hang out, and also serves as living quarters for the on-call responders.
What other health resources are available on campus?
Please visit the Trent Health Services webpage for more information: www.trentu.ca/wellness/health