This experience led Lyman to ponder what could have been done to prevent this from happening.
Lyman took that experience and used it to help him create UVU’s Emergency Response Team. Their job is to be the first medical personnel on the scene to give the medical help needed until the police or ambulance comes.
The initial response from the university was positive.
“They were very supportive. I was surprised,” Lyman said. “But when it came down to it, it was the university putting its money where its mouth was . . . our motto is engaged learning. What better way to show that than by using a student-run organization to help other students get hands-on experience in their field?”
The ERT covers any medical emergency that happens on campus, and they have members of the team at every UVU event. They get a call about once every other day and have treated people who have passed out, broken bones or been in car accidents.
For finding a need that the school had and creating the ERT, Lyman received the UVU Alumni Award for Distinguished Student Service.
Lyman gives the credit to Dean Bob Rasmussen for making the ERT possible.
“Dean Rasmussen is the reason this team exists. He saw the benefit and helped us get the funding we needed. Without him we would just be wandering around trying to start this thing,” Lyman said.
The ERT is part of the National Collegiate Emergency Medical Services Foundation. Over 200 universities in the U.S. have a First Response team that helped Lyman understand that this was something that UVU could do.
One of the most difficult obstacles the school and Lyman had to face was the department under which to place the ERT. In the end, the team reports to three different departments.
