Georgia Tech Students Lead Effort to Strengthen Campus Emergency Preparedness

The first week of June marks National CPR and AED Awareness Week, but year-round, Georgia Tech students are helping equip the campus community with lifesaving skills. 

Emergency Medical Services at Tech (EMSaT), the student organization recognized last year with a national EMS-Ready Campus designation, has expanded access to CPR and AED training through a partnership with Georgia Tech Environmental Health and Safety. The free courses are available to students, faculty, and staff and are taught by a team of 11 undergraduate students who hold CPR instructor certifications and volunteer their time to serve the campus community. 

“CPR and AED use are some of the easiest ways for everyday people to make a real difference in the event of cardiac arrest,” said Esther Lee, a biomedical engineering major and outreach director for EMSaT. “If more people know what to do and feel comfortable stepping in, we can make the Georgia Tech community safer and better prepared.” 

During the past year, EMSaT instructors trained 472 members of the Georgia Tech community in CPR and AED use. This spring alone, the organization certified 311 participants. 

The training initiative builds on EMSaT’s broader mission to strengthen emergency preparedness at Georgia Tech. Founded in 2019, the group works with campus and community partners to improve emergency response, provide first aid education, and create hands-on opportunities for students pursuing careers in healthcare and emergency medicine. 

The impact of that work can be seen in the experiences of Georgia Tech student EMTs, who balance rigorous academic schedules with jobs in hospitals and ambulance services. 

The group will continue offering training sessions this fall at the Campus Recreation Center. More information will be available soon at the EMSaT site.