CANTON -- SUNY Canton recently received approval from the New York State Department of Health to launch its own Emergency Medical Service (EMS) Squad, an officially designated Basic Life Support First Response Agency that provides support for medical emergencies at the college's main campus.

Student volunteers will respond and perform an initial patient assessment, which will save time and resources for area first responders. SUNY Canton EMS members can administer oxygen, treat wounds, perform CPR and rescue breathing, and stabilize patients. More complex situations and emergencies requiring transportation will continue to be handled by Canton Fire & Rescue.

"Many of our students already volunteer with area rescue squads," noted SUNY Canton President Zvi Szafran. "We also offer EMT training on campus, and are home to several related academic programs. This is a perfect opportunity for our students to gain real-world emergency experience."

More than 40 volunteers have already signed up for the new student-run program, according to EMT Program Coordinator Richard J. Mattimore.

"University Police will alert us when a student on campus has a medical issue," Mattimore said. "Our responders will be able to provide emergency care for the entire campus 24 hours a day, seven days a week when classes are in session."

The squad will provide other services including CPR training for the college community and standby support for sports and special events.