(December 1, 2022) - When a medical emergency occurs on campus, the Laurentian University Campus Emergency Response Team (LUCERT) is ready to step into action. Whether it be a student, a member of the public, or a Laurentian staff or faculty member requiring emergency response services, LUCERT is available to assist.
LUCERT is a volunteer-based, student-run team that consists of twenty-eight Laurentian students devoted to providing fast emergency response services throughout campus. Services are available 24/7 during the academic year. While LUCERT is not meant to substitute emergency response services provided by calling 9-1-1, LUCERT complements these services and other professional health and wellness services available on and off campus.
Individuals requiring LUCERT services are encouraged to contact LUCERT regardless of their location on campus as the team responds anywhere from the Ben Avery facility all the way to the Living with the Lakes Center.
LUCERT trains their student volunteers to the first responder level through the Canadian Red Cross. This means that LUCERT first responders can help in many situations requiring medical assistance, from a serious medical emergency to a scraped knee.
By providing pre-paramedic care within their scope of practice, student volunteers are often able to provide medical care faster than 9-1-1 services. In serious circumstances, a few seconds could mean life or death. LUCERT understands how critical time can be during a medical emergency and, as such, work around the clock to ensure response times are as fast as possible. They will also connect with 9-1-1 services if further assistance is required.
Jenna O’Neill, LUCERT’s Coordinator and third year Biomedical Biology student from Belleville, Ontario, is passionate about her role with LUCERT: “Being able to provide a service that is valuable to our students is important to me. Volunteering with LUCERT has offered a great opportunity to learn more about related careers in this field.”
LUCERT encourages those interested in emergency first response to reach out: “Joining the LUCERT team provides an excellent opportunity to learn about pre-hospital care if you are interested in medicine or other related fields. It also offers the opportunity to make friends, as well as be an active member of our community,” says Jenna.
Those interested in getting involved with LUCERT should email lucert@laurentian.ca, follow them on Facebook or Instagram, or stop by their office located in Single Student Residence, Room G7.
If a medical or mental health emergency occurs on campus, LUCERT may be contacted by phone (705-562-5456).
The health and safety of community members is equally important to the Campus Security team who may be reached by phone (705-673-6562).
We also wish to remind our community members that many other campus resources and services are also dedicated to medical and mental health and wellness, such as Counselling, Health and Wellness Services, Accessibility Services, the Peer Wellness Program, the Indigenous Student Affairs office, and the Equity, Diversity and Human Rights office (EDHRO).
Laurentian students can also access free, immediate, confidential mental health support 24/7/365 by calling 1 (844) 451-9700 or by visiting myssp.app/keepmesafe.