CINXE.COM

<!DOCTYPE html><html lang="en-US"> <head> <meta charset="UTF-8"> <meta http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="IE=Edge"> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"> <meta name="google-site-verification" content="WjMVqruAGy-FyYnIGaTz-adF_ZrTPzwpofk6su2K8Jc"/> <title>History of Cornell EMS – Cornell University Emergency Medical Service</title><meta name='robots' content='max-image-preview:large'/> <style>img:is([sizes="auto" i], [sizes^="auto," i]) { contain-intrinsic-size: 3000px 1500px }</style> <link rel='dns-prefetch' href='//cuems.cornell.edu'/><link rel='dns-prefetch' href='//use.typekit.net'/><link rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml" title="Cornell University Emergency Medical Service » Feed" href="https://cuems.cornell.edu/feed/"/><link rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml" title="Cornell University Emergency Medical Service » Comments Feed" href="https://cuems.cornell.edu/comments/feed/"/><script type="text/javascript"> /* <![CDATA[ */ window._wpemojiSettings = {"baseUrl":"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/15.0.3\/72x72\/","ext":".png","svgUrl":"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/15.0.3\/svg\/","svgExt":".svg","source":{"concatemoji":"https:\/\/cuems.cornell.edu\/wp-includes\/js\/wp-emoji-release.min.js?ver=2095530880"}}; /*! This file is auto-generated */ !function(i,n){var o,s,e;function c(e){try{var t={supportTests:e,timestamp:(new Date).valueOf()};sessionStorage.setItem(o,JSON.stringify(t))}catch(e){}}function p(e,t,n){e.clearRect(0,0,e.canvas.width,e.canvas.height),e.fillText(t,0,0);var t=new Uint32Array(e.getImageData(0,0,e.canvas.width,e.canvas.height).data),r=(e.clearRect(0,0,e.canvas.width,e.canvas.height),e.fillText(n,0,0),new Uint32Array(e.getImageData(0,0,e.canvas.width,e.canvas.height).data));return t.every(function(e,t){return e===r[t]})}function u(e,t,n){switch(t){case"flag":return n(e,"\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\u26a7\ufe0f","\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200b\u26a7\ufe0f")?!1:!n(e,"\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf3","\ud83c\uddfa\u200b\ud83c\uddf3")&&!n(e,"\ud83c\udff4\udb40\udc67\udb40\udc62\udb40\udc65\udb40\udc6e\udb40\udc67\udb40\udc7f","\ud83c\udff4\u200b\udb40\udc67\u200b\udb40\udc62\u200b\udb40\udc65\u200b\udb40\udc6e\u200b\udb40\udc67\u200b\udb40\udc7f");case"emoji":return!n(e,"\ud83d\udc26\u200d\u2b1b","\ud83d\udc26\u200b\u2b1b")}return!1}function f(e,t,n){var r="undefined"!=typeof WorkerGlobalScope&&self instanceof WorkerGlobalScope?new OffscreenCanvas(300,150):i.createElement("canvas"),a=r.getContext("2d",{willReadFrequently:!0}),o=(a.textBaseline="top",a.font="600 32px Arial",{});return e.forEach(function(e){o[e]=t(a,e,n)}),o}function t(e){var t=i.createElement("script");t.src=e,t.defer=!0,i.head.appendChild(t)}"undefined"!=typeof Promise&&(o="wpEmojiSettingsSupports",s=["flag","emoji"],n.supports={everything:!0,everythingExceptFlag:!0},e=new Promise(function(e){i.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded",e,{once:!0})}),new Promise(function(t){var n=function(){try{var e=JSON.parse(sessionStorage.getItem(o));if("object"==typeof e&&"number"==typeof e.timestamp&&(new Date).valueOf()<e.timestamp+604800&&"object"==typeof e.supportTests)return e.supportTests}catch(e){}return null}();if(!n){if("undefined"!=typeof Worker&&"undefined"!=typeof OffscreenCanvas&&"undefined"!=typeof URL&&URL.createObjectURL&&"undefined"!=typeof Blob)try{var e="postMessage("+f.toString()+"("+[JSON.stringify(s),u.toString(),p.toString()].join(",")+"));",r=new Blob([e],{type:"text/javascript"}),a=new Worker(URL.createObjectURL(r),{name:"wpTestEmojiSupports"});return void(a.onmessage=function(e){c(n=e.data),a.terminate(),t(n)})}catch(e){}c(n=f(s,u,p))}t(n)}).then(function(e){for(var t in e)n.supports[t]=e[t],n.supports.everything=n.supports.everything&&n.supports[t],"flag"!==t&&(n.supports.everythingExceptFlag=n.supports.everythingExceptFlag&&n.supports[t]);n.supports.everythingExceptFlag=n.supports.everythingExceptFlag&&!n.supports.flag,n.DOMReady=!1,n.readyCallback=function(){n.DOMReady=!0}}).then(function(){return e}).then(function(){var e;n.supports.everything||(n.readyCallback(),(e=n.source||{}).concatemoji?t(e.concatemoji):e.wpemoji&&e.twemoji&&(t(e.twemoji),t(e.wpemoji)))}))}((window,document),window._wpemojiSettings); /* ]]> */ </script><link rel='stylesheet' id='sbi_styles-css' href='https://cuems.cornell.edu/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed/css/sbi-styles.min.css?ver=1281880933' type='text/css' media='all'/><style id='wp-emoji-styles-inline-css' type='text/css'> img.wp-smiley, img.emoji { display: inline !important; border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; height: 1em !important; width: 1em !important; margin: 0 0.07em !important; vertical-align: -0.1em !important; background: none !important; padding: 0 !important; }</style><link rel='stylesheet' id='wp-block-library-css' href='https://cuems.cornell.edu/wp-includes/css/dist/block-library/style.min.css?ver=220620971' type='text/css' media='all'/><style id='global-styles-inline-css' type='text/css'>:root{--wp--preset--aspect-ratio--square: 1;--wp--preset--aspect-ratio--4-3: 4/3;--wp--preset--aspect-ratio--3-4: 3/4;--wp--preset--aspect-ratio--3-2: 3/2;--wp--preset--aspect-ratio--2-3: 2/3;--wp--preset--aspect-ratio--16-9: 16/9;--wp--preset--aspect-ratio--9-16: 9/16;--wp--preset--color--black: #000000;--wp--preset--color--cyan-bluish-gray: #abb8c3;--wp--preset--color--white: #ffffff;--wp--preset--color--pale-pink: #f78da7;--wp--preset--color--vivid-red: #cf2e2e;--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-orange: #ff6900;--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-amber: #fcb900;--wp--preset--color--light-green-cyan: #7bdcb5;--wp--preset--color--vivid-green-cyan: #00d084;--wp--preset--color--pale-cyan-blue: #8ed1fc;--wp--preset--color--vivid-cyan-blue: #0693e3;--wp--preset--color--vivid-purple: #9b51e0;--wp--preset--gradient--vivid-cyan-blue-to-vivid-purple: linear-gradient(135deg,rgba(6,147,227,1) 0%,rgb(155,81,224) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--light-green-cyan-to-vivid-green-cyan: linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(122,220,180) 0%,rgb(0,208,130) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--luminous-vivid-amber-to-luminous-vivid-orange: linear-gradient(135deg,rgba(252,185,0,1) 0%,rgba(255,105,0,1) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--luminous-vivid-orange-to-vivid-red: linear-gradient(135deg,rgba(255,105,0,1) 0%,rgb(207,46,46) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--very-light-gray-to-cyan-bluish-gray: linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(238,238,238) 0%,rgb(169,184,195) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--cool-to-warm-spectrum: linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(74,234,220) 0%,rgb(151,120,209) 20%,rgb(207,42,186) 40%,rgb(238,44,130) 60%,rgb(251,105,98) 80%,rgb(254,248,76) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--blush-light-purple: linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(255,206,236) 0%,rgb(152,150,240) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--blush-bordeaux: linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(254,205,165) 0%,rgb(254,45,45) 50%,rgb(107,0,62) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--luminous-dusk: linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(255,203,112) 0%,rgb(199,81,192) 50%,rgb(65,88,208) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--pale-ocean: linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(255,245,203) 0%,rgb(182,227,212) 50%,rgb(51,167,181) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--electric-grass: linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(202,248,128) 0%,rgb(113,206,126) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--midnight: linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(2,3,129) 0%,rgb(40,116,252) 100%);--wp--preset--font-size--small: 13px;--wp--preset--font-size--medium: 20px;--wp--preset--font-size--large: 36px;--wp--preset--font-size--x-large: 42px;--wp--preset--spacing--20: 0.44rem;--wp--preset--spacing--30: 0.67rem;--wp--preset--spacing--40: 1rem;--wp--preset--spacing--50: 1.5rem;--wp--preset--spacing--60: 2.25rem;--wp--preset--spacing--70: 3.38rem;--wp--preset--spacing--80: 5.06rem;--wp--preset--shadow--natural: 6px 6px 9px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2);--wp--preset--shadow--deep: 12px 12px 50px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.4);--wp--preset--shadow--sharp: 6px 6px 0px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2);--wp--preset--shadow--outlined: 6px 6px 0px -3px rgba(255, 255, 255, 1), 6px 6px rgba(0, 0, 0, 1);--wp--preset--shadow--crisp: 6px 6px 0px rgba(0, 0, 0, 1);}:where(body) { margin: 0; }.wp-site-blocks > .alignleft { float: left; margin-right: 2em; }.wp-site-blocks > .alignright { float: right; margin-left: 2em; }.wp-site-blocks > .aligncenter { justify-content: center; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; }:where(.is-layout-flex){gap: 0.5em;}:where(.is-layout-grid){gap: 0.5em;}.is-layout-flow > .alignleft{float: left;margin-inline-start: 0;margin-inline-end: 2em;}.is-layout-flow > .alignright{float: right;margin-inline-start: 2em;margin-inline-end: 0;}.is-layout-flow > .aligncenter{margin-left: auto !important;margin-right: auto !important;}.is-layout-constrained > .alignleft{float: left;margin-inline-start: 0;margin-inline-end: 2em;}.is-layout-constrained > .alignright{float: right;margin-inline-start: 2em;margin-inline-end: 0;}.is-layout-constrained > .aligncenter{margin-left: auto !important;margin-right: auto !important;}.is-layout-constrained > :where(:not(.alignleft):not(.alignright):not(.alignfull)){margin-left: auto !important;margin-right: auto !important;}body .is-layout-flex{display: flex;}.is-layout-flex{flex-wrap: wrap;align-items: center;}.is-layout-flex > :is(*, div){margin: 0;}body .is-layout-grid{display: grid;}.is-layout-grid > :is(*, div){margin: 0;}body{padding-top: 0px;padding-right: 0px;padding-bottom: 0px;padding-left: 0px;}a:where(:not(.wp-element-button)){text-decoration: underline;}:root :where(.wp-element-button, .wp-block-button__link){background-color: #32373c;border-width: 0;color: #fff;font-family: inherit;font-size: inherit;line-height: inherit;padding: calc(0.667em + 2px) calc(1.333em + 2px);text-decoration: none;}.has-black-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--black) !important;}.has-cyan-bluish-gray-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--cyan-bluish-gray) !important;}.has-white-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--white) !important;}.has-pale-pink-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--pale-pink) !important;}.has-vivid-red-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-red) !important;}.has-luminous-vivid-orange-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-orange) !important;}.has-luminous-vivid-amber-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-amber) !important;}.has-light-green-cyan-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--light-green-cyan) !important;}.has-vivid-green-cyan-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-green-cyan) !important;}.has-pale-cyan-blue-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--pale-cyan-blue) !important;}.has-vivid-cyan-blue-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-cyan-blue) !important;}.has-vivid-purple-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-purple) !important;}.has-black-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--black) !important;}.has-cyan-bluish-gray-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--cyan-bluish-gray) !important;}.has-white-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--white) !important;}.has-pale-pink-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--pale-pink) !important;}.has-vivid-red-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-red) !important;}.has-luminous-vivid-orange-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-orange) !important;}.has-luminous-vivid-amber-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-amber) !important;}.has-light-green-cyan-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--light-green-cyan) !important;}.has-vivid-green-cyan-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-green-cyan) !important;}.has-pale-cyan-blue-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--pale-cyan-blue) !important;}.has-vivid-cyan-blue-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-cyan-blue) !important;}.has-vivid-purple-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-purple) !important;}.has-black-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--black) !important;}.has-cyan-bluish-gray-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--cyan-bluish-gray) !important;}.has-white-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--white) !important;}.has-pale-pink-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--pale-pink) !important;}.has-vivid-red-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-red) !important;}.has-luminous-vivid-orange-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-orange) !important;}.has-luminous-vivid-amber-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-amber) !important;}.has-light-green-cyan-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--light-green-cyan) !important;}.has-vivid-green-cyan-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-green-cyan) !important;}.has-pale-cyan-blue-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--pale-cyan-blue) !important;}.has-vivid-cyan-blue-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-cyan-blue) !important;}.has-vivid-purple-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-purple) !important;}.has-vivid-cyan-blue-to-vivid-purple-gradient-background{background: var(--wp--preset--gradient--vivid-cyan-blue-to-vivid-purple) !important;}.has-light-green-cyan-to-vivid-green-cyan-gradient-background{background: var(--wp--preset--gradient--light-green-cyan-to-vivid-green-cyan) !important;}.has-luminous-vivid-amber-to-luminous-vivid-orange-gradient-background{background: var(--wp--preset--gradient--luminous-vivid-amber-to-luminous-vivid-orange) !important;}.has-luminous-vivid-orange-to-vivid-red-gradient-background{background: var(--wp--preset--gradient--luminous-vivid-orange-to-vivid-red) !important;}.has-very-light-gray-to-cyan-bluish-gray-gradient-background{background: var(--wp--preset--gradient--very-light-gray-to-cyan-bluish-gray) !important;}.has-cool-to-warm-spectrum-gradient-background{background: var(--wp--preset--gradient--cool-to-warm-spectrum) !important;}.has-blush-light-purple-gradient-background{background: var(--wp--preset--gradient--blush-light-purple) !important;}.has-blush-bordeaux-gradient-background{background: var(--wp--preset--gradient--blush-bordeaux) !important;}.has-luminous-dusk-gradient-background{background: var(--wp--preset--gradient--luminous-dusk) !important;}.has-pale-ocean-gradient-background{background: var(--wp--preset--gradient--pale-ocean) !important;}.has-electric-grass-gradient-background{background: var(--wp--preset--gradient--electric-grass) !important;}.has-midnight-gradient-background{background: var(--wp--preset--gradient--midnight) !important;}.has-small-font-size{font-size: var(--wp--preset--font-size--small) !important;}.has-medium-font-size{font-size: var(--wp--preset--font-size--medium) !important;}.has-large-font-size{font-size: var(--wp--preset--font-size--large) !important;}.has-x-large-font-size{font-size: var(--wp--preset--font-size--x-large) !important;}:where(.wp-block-post-template.is-layout-flex){gap: 1.25em;}:where(.wp-block-post-template.is-layout-grid){gap: 1.25em;}:where(.wp-block-columns.is-layout-flex){gap: 2em;}:where(.wp-block-columns.is-layout-grid){gap: 2em;}:root :where(.wp-block-pullquote){font-size: 1.5em;line-height: 1.6;}</style><link rel='stylesheet' id='freight-css-css' href='//use.typekit.net/nwp2wku.css?ver=1199824754' type='text/css' media='all'/><link rel='stylesheet' id='cwd-base-css-css' href='https://cuems.cornell.edu/wp-content/themes/dps/css/base.css?ver=2126278744' type='text/css' media='all'/><link rel='stylesheet' id='cornell-css-css' href='https://cuems.cornell.edu/wp-content/themes/dps/css/cornell.css?ver=2010159840' type='text/css' media='all'/><link rel='stylesheet' id='cwd-card-slider-css-css' href='https://cuems.cornell.edu/wp-content/themes/dps/css/cwd_card_slider.css?ver=307545579' type='text/css' media='all'/><link rel='stylesheet' id='cwd-gallery-css-css' href='https://cuems.cornell.edu/wp-content/themes/dps/css/cwd_gallery.css?ver=152991684' type='text/css' media='all'/><link rel='stylesheet' id='cwd-slider-css-css' href='https://cuems.cornell.edu/wp-content/themes/dps/css/cwd_slider.css?ver=252765705' type='text/css' media='all'/><link rel='stylesheet' id='cwd-utilities-css-css' href='https://cuems.cornell.edu/wp-content/themes/dps/css/cwd_utilities.css?ver=137021586' type='text/css' media='all'/><link rel='stylesheet' id='cwd-wp-css-css' href='https://cuems.cornell.edu/wp-content/themes/dps/css/cwd_wp.css?ver=256477814' type='text/css' media='all'/><link rel='stylesheet' id='cwd-twitter-widget-css-css' href='https://cuems.cornell.edu/wp-content/themes/dps/css/twitter-widget.css?ver=378485965' type='text/css' media='all'/><link rel='stylesheet' id='cwd-formidable-validation-css-css' href='https://cuems.cornell.edu/wp-content/themes/dps/css/formidable_validation.css?ver=491404811' type='text/css' media='all'/><link rel='stylesheet' id='cornell-font-fa-css-css' href='https://cuems.cornell.edu/wp-content/themes/dps/fonts/font-awesome.min.css?ver=1264811793' type='text/css' media='all'/><link rel='stylesheet' id='cornell-font-zmdi-css-css' href='https://cuems.cornell.edu/wp-content/themes/dps/fonts/material-design-iconic-font.min.css?ver=7405992' type='text/css' media='all'/><link rel='stylesheet' id='cwd-project-css-css' href='https://cuems.cornell.edu/wp-content/themes/dps/css/dps.css?ver=711623725' type='text/css' media='all'/><link rel='stylesheet' id='cwd-header-css-css' href='https://cuems.cornell.edu/wp-content/themes/dps/css/header.css?ver=1355777295' type='text/css' media='all'/><link rel='stylesheet' id='cwd-instagram-css-css' href='https://cuems.cornell.edu/wp-content/themes/dps/css/instagram.css?ver=260766216' type='text/css' media='all'/><script type="text/javascript" src="https://cuems.cornell.edu/wp-includes/js/jquery/jquery.min.js?ver=889557526" id="jquery-core-js"></script><script type="text/javascript" src="https://cuems.cornell.edu/wp-includes/js/jquery/jquery-migrate.min.js?ver=818475865" id="jquery-migrate-js"></script><link rel="https://api.w.org/" href="https://cuems.cornell.edu/wp-json/"/><link rel="alternate" title="JSON" type="application/json" href="https://cuems.cornell.edu/wp-json/wp/v2/pages/1879"/><link rel="EditURI" type="application/rsd+xml" title="RSD" href="https://cuems.cornell.edu/xmlrpc.php?rsd"/><meta name="generator" content="WordPress 6.7.1"/><link rel="canonical" href="https://cuems.cornell.edu/about/history-of-cornell-ems/"/><link rel='shortlink' href='https://cuems.cornell.edu/?p=1879'/><link rel="alternate" title="oEmbed (JSON)" type="application/json+oembed" href="https://cuems.cornell.edu/wp-json/oembed/1.0/embed?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcuems.cornell.edu%2Fabout%2Fhistory-of-cornell-ems%2F"/><link rel="alternate" title="oEmbed (XML)" type="text/xml+oembed" href="https://cuems.cornell.edu/wp-json/oembed/1.0/embed?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcuems.cornell.edu%2Fabout%2Fhistory-of-cornell-ems%2F&format=xml"/><link rel="icon" href="https://cuems.cornell.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/cropped-CUEMS-New-Logo_Blue-Logo-with-white-inside_no-backgroun-250x250.png" sizes="32x32"/><link rel="icon" href="https://cuems.cornell.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/cropped-CUEMS-New-Logo_Blue-Logo-with-white-inside_no-backgroun-250x250.png" sizes="192x192"/><link rel="apple-touch-icon" href="https://cuems.cornell.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/cropped-CUEMS-New-Logo_Blue-Logo-with-white-inside_no-backgroun-250x250.png"/><meta name="msapplication-TileImage" content="https://cuems.cornell.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/cropped-CUEMS-New-Logo_Blue-Logo-with-white-inside_no-backgroun-480x480.png"/></head><body class="page-template-default page page-id-1879 page-child parent-pageid-6 sidebar sidebar-left cu-gray cu-seal has-utility-nav blog-id-7"> <div id="skipnav"><a href="#main">Skip to main content</a></div> <div id="cu-search" class="cu-search"> <div class="container-fluid"> <form id="cu-search-form" tabindex="-1" role="search" action="https://cuems.cornell.edu"> <label for="cu-search-query" class="sr-only">Search:</label> <input type="text" id="cu-search-query" name="s" size="30"> <button name="btnG" id="cu-search-submit" type="submit" value="go"><span class="sr-only">Submit Search</span></button> <fieldset class="search-filters" role="radiogroup"> <legend class="sr-only">Search Filters</legend> <input type="radio" id="cu-search-filter1" name="sitesearch" value="thissite" checked="checked"> <label for="cu-search-filter1"><span class="sr-only">Search </span>This Site</label> <input type="radio" id="cu-search-filter2" name="sitesearch" value="cornell"> <label for="cu-search-filter2"><span class="sr-only">Search </span>Cornell</label> </fieldset> </form> </div> </div> <div class="alert-banner hidden"> <div class="container-fluid"> <div class="alert-banner-titles"> </div> <div class="alert-banner-link"> <a href="https://emergency.cornell.edu/cornell-alerts/">Visit emergency.cornell.edu for full details</a> </div> </div></div> <div id="super-header" class="has_header_image"> <div class="header-wrapper"> <header id="cu-header" aria-label="Cornell Header"> <div class="cu45-helper"></div> <div class="container-fluid cu-brand"> <h1 class="cu-logo"><a href="//www.cornell.edu"><img class="sr-only" src="https://cuems.cornell.edu/wp-content/themes/dps/images/cornell/bold_cornell_logo_simple_b31b1b.svg" alt="Cornell University" width="245" height="62"></a></h1> <div class="cu-unit"> <h2><a href="https://cuems.cornell.edu">Cornell University Emergency Medical Service</a></h2> </div> <div class="buttons"> <button class="mobile-button" id="mobile-nav">Main Menu</button> <button class="mobile-button" id="cu-search-button">Toggle Search Form</button> <nav id="utility-navigation" aria-label="Supplementary Navigation" class="dropdown-menu dropdown-menu-on-demand"> <ul class="list-menu links"><li><a href="https://publicsafety.cornell.edu">DPS Home</a></li><li id="menu-item-13" class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page current-page-ancestor menu-item-13"><a href="https://cuems.cornell.edu/about/">About</a></li></ul> </nav> </div> </div> </header> <header id="site-header" aria-label="Site Header"> <nav class="dropdown-menu dropdown-menu-on-demand" id="main-navigation" aria-label="Main Navigation"> <div class="container-fluid"> <a id="mobile-home" href="https://cuems.cornell.edu"> <span class="sr-only">Home</span> </a> <ul class="list-menu links"><li id="menu-item-10" class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-home menu-item-10"><a href="https://cuems.cornell.edu/">Welcome</a></li><li id="menu-item-11" class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page current-page-ancestor current-menu-ancestor current-menu-parent current_page_parent current_page_ancestor menu-item-has-children menu-item-11"><a href="https://cuems.cornell.edu/about/">About</a><ul class="sub-menu"> <li id="menu-item-2188" class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-2188"><a href="https://cuems.cornell.edu/about/f-a-q/">F.A.Q</a></li> <li id="menu-item-2182" class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page current-menu-item page_item page-item-1879 current_page_item menu-item-2182"><a href="https://cuems.cornell.edu/about/history-of-cornell-ems/" aria-current="page">History of Cornell EMS</a></li> <li id="menu-item-2183" class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-2183"><a href="https://cuems.cornell.edu/about/operations/">Operations</a></li></ul></li><li id="menu-item-2192" class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-has-children menu-item-2192"><a href="https://cuems.cornell.edu/services/">Services</a><ul class="sub-menu"> <li id="menu-item-2224" class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-2224"><a href="https://cuems.cornell.edu/services/emergency-response/">Emergency Response</a></li> <li id="menu-item-2223" class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-2223"><a href="https://cuems.cornell.edu/services/event-standby/">Event Standby</a></li> <li id="menu-item-2222" class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-2222"><a href="https://cuems.cornell.edu/services/community-education/">Community Education</a></li></ul></li><li id="menu-item-2221" class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-has-children menu-item-2221"><a href="https://cuems.cornell.edu/membership/">Membership</a><ul class="sub-menu"> <li id="menu-item-2220" class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-2220"><a href="https://cuems.cornell.edu/membership/executive-board-3/">Executive Board</a></li> <li id="menu-item-2219" class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-2219"><a href="https://cuems.cornell.edu/membership/cuems-alumni/">CUEMS Alumni</a></li></ul></li><li id="menu-item-2218" class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-has-children menu-item-2218"><a href="https://cuems.cornell.edu/contact/">Contact</a><ul class="sub-menu"> <li id="menu-item-2217" class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-2217"><a href="https://cuems.cornell.edu/contact/donate/">Donate</a></li></ul></li></ul> </div> </nav> </header> </div> <div id="image-band" class="band" aria-label="Site Banner" style="background-image: url(https://cuems.cornell.edu/wp-content/themes/dps/images/wp/headers/berries.png)"></div> </div><div id="main-content" class="band"> <main id="main" class="container-fluid aria-target" tabindex="-1"> <div class="row"> <div id="sidebar-top" class="secondary"> <nav class="breadcrumb" aria-label="breadcrumbs"><ol class="list-menu"><li><a href="https://cuems.cornell.edu/"><span class="limiter">Home</span></a></li><li><a href="https://cuems.cornell.edu/about/"><span class="limiter">About</span></a></li></ol></nav> <h2 class="menu-block-title">About</h2><nav class="secondary-navigation mobile-expander"><ul class="menu"><li class="page_item page-item-2185"><a href="https://cuems.cornell.edu/about/f-a-q/">F.A.Q</a></li><li class="page_item page-item-1879 current_page_item"><a href="https://cuems.cornell.edu/about/history-of-cornell-ems/" aria-current="page">History of Cornell EMS</a></li><li class="page_item page-item-2176"><a href="https://cuems.cornell.edu/about/operations/">Operations</a></li></ul></nav> </div> <article id="main-article" class="primary"> <nav class="breadcrumb" aria-label="breadcrumbs"><ol class="list-menu"><li><a href="https://cuems.cornell.edu/"><span class="limiter">Home</span></a></li><li><a href="https://cuems.cornell.edu/about/"><span class="limiter">About</span></a></li></ol></nav><h1>History of Cornell EMS</h1><section id="post-1879" class="post-1879 type-page status-publish hentry"> <div class="formatted-text cd-block wysiwyg"> <div class="normalText"><div align="center"><table style="width: 520px;" role="none" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="1"><tbody><tr><td width="4" height="20">1976</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>– The Medical Emergency Response Group (MERG) is founded in this year under the order of the Department of Public Safety and<br/>was given the official title of Cornell University Emergency Medical Service.</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>– CUEMS began serving the Cornell community with a group that consisted of 9 EMTs, 20 advanced<br/>first aiders, for a total 60 total participants.</td></tr><tr><td></td></tr><tr><td>1979</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>– June 15, 1979 – CUEMS Director W.E. McDaniel enters into an agreement with Ithaca Fire Chief<br/>Weaver for CUEMS to provide first response emergency medical care to the Cornell campus and surrounding Cornell owned property and roads.</td></tr><tr><td></td></tr><tr><td>1980</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>– CUEMS operates in teams of two from its Barton Hall locker room headquarters. The unit operated<br/>with equipment bags carried in personal vehicles during assigned shifts.</td></tr><tr><td></td></tr><tr><td>1981</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>– November 1981 – CUEMS creates the first Standard Operating Procedures that are then approved<br/>by the full membership.</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>– Advisors to the squad include: Scott Withers, RPA (Gannett Health Services); Cortland Bassett,<br/>RPA (Gannett Health Services); and Len Nissenson (Executive Director of Gannett), Pam Kellogg, EMT, PO served as the liaison<br/>to the Department of Public Safety and Mike Quinlan, EMT-P served as a liaison to Bangs Ambulance.</td></tr><tr><td></td></tr><tr><td>1982</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>– January 1982 – CUEMS announces extended service hours during the week from 1800h-midnight and on weekends,<br/>a trial-basis 24-hour-service.</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>– CUEMS began operating out of Gannett Health Center</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>– CUEMS utilizes the Gannett Utility van as a primary response vehicle</td></tr><tr><td></td></tr><tr><td>1985</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>– October 1985 – CUEMS expands its service hours on weekends from 2000h-0200h to 1800h-0200h.</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>– CUEMS suspended transporting of patients to Tompkins County Hospital.</td></tr><tr><td></td></tr><tr><td>1986</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>– February 12, 1986 – CUEMS puts into service a new “van” to utilize as a first response and transporting vehicle.<br/>The van was equipped with a rotating amber light which could was used once at an emergency to alert other incoming emergency vehicles.</td></tr><tr><td></td></tr><tr><td>1988</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>– CUEMS establishes revised and extended bylaws that govern its leadership structures and functions<br/>internally and within the university and surrounding community.</td></tr><tr><td></td></tr><tr><td>1990</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>– September 1990 – CUEMS and Gannett share transport obligations during different service<br/>hours to ensure non-emergency transports of all patients not necessitating an ambulance-level of care.</td></tr><tr><td></td></tr><tr><td>1991</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>– CUEMS secures funding from the Undergraduate Student Assembly through the Student Activity Fee.<br/>CUEMS receives $1 from every undergraduate student.</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>– February 3, 1991 – CUEMS extends service hours to begin at 1700h on weekdays.</td></tr><tr><td></td></tr><tr><td>1992</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>– Spring 1992 – CUEMS expands service hours to begin at 1500h and last until midnight.</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>– CUEMS puts into service its new 1991 Chevrolet Suburban to replace the previous van that was shared with Gannett Health Services</td></tr><tr><td></td></tr><tr><td>1993</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>– January 1993 – CUEMS purchases its first semi-automatic external defibrillator (AED) to improve its service to the campus community.</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>– CUEMS expands to trial-based twenty-four-hour service.</td></tr><tr><td></td></tr><tr><td>1994</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>– January 31, 1994 – CUEMS establishes enhanced guidelines to meet OSHA regulations for bloodborne pathogens and potential exposures.</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>– May 1994 – CUEMS establishes a scholarship to be included in its budget of up to $200 for members taking EMT-D courses.</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>– August 25, 1994 – CUEMS establishes a concrete “Airborne Exposure Control Plan” and “Bloodborne<br/>Exposure Control Plan” to protect members from potential infection while operating on calls.</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>– December 1, 1994 – CUEMS begins to carry its own insurance with VFIS that includes coverage for office contents, equipment,<br/>management liability and comprehensive and collision vehicle liability, medical malpractice, management liability, and more.</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>– CUEMS establishes “Officer Performance Standards” to outline what it expects of leaders of the<br/>squad to ensure proper functioning.</td></tr><tr><td></td></tr><tr><td>1995</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>– CUEMS attains status as a New York State EMS Agency (#5471) at the “EMT-D” level.</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>– August 1995 – CUEMS attains permission for a trial period to use red lights and sirens for emergency response to calls of a potentially critical nature.</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>– Fall 2005 – CUEMS evaluates its use of red lights and sirens response with no significant issues<br/>in its 55 uses that semester. CUEMS recorded an average response time with this new method of just under four minutes. CUEMS<br/>is athorized to use red lights and siren on a permanent basis.</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>– CUEMS service hours in 1995 include 1500h-0700h each day during the academic year.</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>– A formalized QA/QI program was developed to evaluate patient care, documentation, and ways to<br/>improve our service to the community.</td></tr><tr><td></td></tr><tr><td>1998</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>– September 13, 1998 – CUEMS establishes “contracts” allowing members with other commitments to<br/>make up for missed membership requirements throughout the semester.</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>– Terry Freund comes on board as the CUEMS “Supervisor,” a title later adapted to the role as our<br/>faculty/staff advisor.</td></tr><tr><td></td></tr><tr><td>1999</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>– CUEMS moves to 201 Palm Road as a thought “temporary location” until more permanent housing could be located.</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>– May 1999 – In conjunction with Phil Rach, Director of Safety Services, CUEMS establishes better<br/>practice protocols when dealing with athletic trainers and assisting with NCAA sports event coverage.</td></tr><tr><td></td></tr><tr><td>2003</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>– CUEMS begins using the online shiftboard for shift signup and trading.</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>– The CQI process was increased to ensure that all PCRs (and thus all patient care and documentation)<br/>were reviewed by members of the CQI committee.</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>– Spring 2003 – CUEMS receives the “Best Collegiate EMS Agency Website” award from the National<br/>Collegiate Emergency Medical Services Foundation (NCEMSF).</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>– July 2003 – CUEMS changes from its old identifier as “981” to “2481” to comply with new Emergency<br/>Services Group numbering under Environmental Health and Safety.</td></tr><tr><td></td></tr><tr><td>2004</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>– Spring 2004 – CUEMS puts into service its new primary response vehicle, a 2004 Chevrolet Suburban outfitted with cabinetry, emergency<br/>lighting, and graphics designs by Autocrafting Emergency Vehicles in Rochester, NY.</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>– CUEMS doubles its budget for Community Education in this year allowing CUEMS to teach more community<br/>CPR and First Aid classes to the Cornell community.</td></tr><tr><td></td></tr><tr><td>2005</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>– CUEMS refines its Spinal Immobilization protocols to include a more well defined set of mechanisms,<br/>signs, and symptoms for this procedure. The model seemed to be well ahead of its time, fitting snugly into the boundaries<br/>and stipulations of the 2008 New York State Spinal Immobilization Protocol changes.</td></tr><tr><td></td></tr><tr><td>2006</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>– CUEMS establishes a five-class New Member Training program to train all new members on the basics<br/>we expect of our attendants (whether already certified as an EMT or not), including basic EMS care, understanding of the EMS<br/>system, Incident Command Systems (ICS) training, Emergency Vehicle Operator (EVOC) training, and scenario-based practical training.<br/>The class is now utilized and adapted by various other agencies in the National Collegiate EMS Foundation.</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>– CUEMS establishes updated and concrete Squad Mobilization and Mass Casualty Incident protocols<br/>to fine tune response to major emergencies on the Cornell Ithaca campus. Unfortunately proven necessary by the events in April<br/>2007 on the Virginia Tech campus, CUEMS was ahead of its time in this type of preparation.</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>– Spring 2006 – CUEMS updates its Mission Statement to reflect the current work, accomplishments,<br/>and goals of the organization.</td></tr><tr><td></td></tr><tr><td>2007</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>– January, 2007 – CUEMS beings permanent twenty-four hour service hours to the community.</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>– February 2, 2007 – CUEMS is noted in the Cornell Daily Sun as one of the 28 Things Cornell Students<br/>Should NOT Do: “25. Get so wasted that your friends call CUEMS to come and cart your drunk [self] away…”</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>– Fall 2007 – CUEMS received final approval from university officials to have access keys and a<br/>swipe-card to gain access to many buildings on campus.</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>– Fall 2007 – CUEMS replaces its white, button-down shirts with navy and gray polos. The gray polo<br/>shirts are introduced to identifying crew chiefs on scene.</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>– Fall 2007 – A new interview system based on a more comprehensive ranking system is used to enhance<br/>our membership selection process.</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>– September 1, 2007 – CUEMS places in service its Mass Casualty Incident Unit prepared to triage, treat, and<br/>package up to and more than one hundred patients.</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>– Dr. Edward Koppel, a staff physician at Gannett Health Services, and a Critical Care EMT, takes<br/>over as our medical director after a dedicated, long run by Dr. Janet Corsen-Rikert, Cornell’s Director of Health Services at<br/>Gannett—who still holds an active involvement and interest in the organization.</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>– Dan Maas, Cornell’s Director of Emergency and Event Planning, takes over as CUEMS Advisor after a long and<br/>dedicated service by Terry Freund.</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>– CUEMS fine-tuned its Critical Incident Stress Debriefing protocols to ensure the mental health<br/>of our staff following many issues that may arise when acting as an EMS professional.</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>– CUEMS became ICS/NIMS-compliant following national standards from FEMA and the Department of<br/>Homeland Security.</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>– CUEMS further expands its Community Education program to encompass more than simply CPR and First<br/>Aid classes. New programs included educating students, faculty, staff, and anyone in the Cornell community about the basics<br/>of calling 911, how to help before “help” arrives, alcohol emergencies, and recognizing signs of medical emergencies.</td></tr><tr><td></td></tr><tr><td>2008</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>– April 20, 2008 – CUEMS assists in the search for the missing Ithaca College student Willie Jacobson<br/>as a part of the Tompkins Search and Rescue Team</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>– July 1, 2008 – CUEMS becomes a part of the Tompkins Search and Rescue Team with permanent members<br/>in the newly re-formed organization.</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>– Summer 2008 – The first alumni newsletter was published and distributed. The newsletter was met<br/>with notable enthusiasm from our alumni and successfully produced new bonds with EMS graduates.</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>– CUEMS solidifies plans to be a part of the new Gannett Health Services building to be completed<br/>in the Spring of 2012.</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>– CUEMS establishes new committees, including a Website Committee, Special Events Committee, Membership<br/>Recruitment Committee, Membership Events Committee, Fundraising Committee, and Alumni Relations Committee, to help govern<br/>the organization and increase efficiency with leadership and development.</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>– August 2008 – CUEMS redesigns its promotional magnets that are distributed around campus and<br/>to all incoming freshmen..</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>– September 2008 – CUEMS is recognized as a University Organization, maintaining<br/>its student leadership, but becoming officially recognized by the University as an organization of students whose goals reflect<br/>the mission of the University.</td></tr><tr><td></td><td></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p></div></div> </div> </section> </article> </div> </main> </div> <footer> <div class="main-footer"> <div class="container-fluid sidebar-left"> <div class="row"> <div class="primary"> <div class="three-col padded footer-links"> <div> <h3 class="h6">Cornell University Public Safety</h3> <ul class="list-menu vertical"><li id="menu-item-2128" class="menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-2128"><a href="https://publicsafety.cornell.edu">Division of Public Safety</a></li><li id="menu-item-2129" class="menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-2129"><a href="https://cupolice.cornell.edu">Cornell Police</a></li><li id="menu-item-2130" class="menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-2130"><a href="https://emergency.cornell.edu">Office of Emergency Management</a></li></ul> </div> </div> </div> <div class="secondary"> <h2 class="h5">Division of Public Safety</h2><p>245 East Hill Office Building<br/>Cornell University<br/>Ithaca, NY 14853</p> <div class="social"> <h3 class="sr-only">Follow us on:</h3> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="sub-footer"> <div class="container-fluid sidebar-left"> <div class="row"> <div class="content"> <div class="two-col"> <div> <ul class="custom inline no-bullet"> <li><a href="https://www.cornell.edu">Cornell University</a> ©2025</li> <li><a href="https://privacy.cornell.edu/">University Privacy</a></li> </ul> </div> <div> <ul class="custom inline no-bullet"> <li><a href="https://www.cornell.edu/accessibility-assistance.cfm">Web Accessibility Assistance</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </footer> <script type="text/javascript"> var sbiajaxurl = "https://cuems.cornell.edu/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php"; </script><script type="text/javascript" src="https://cuems.cornell.edu/wp-includes/js/comment-reply.min.js?ver=2018709748" id="comment-reply-js" async="async" data-wp-strategy="async"></script><script type="text/javascript" src="https://cuems.cornell.edu/wp-content/themes/dps/js/wp/cwd_wp.js?ver=624819611" id="cwd-wp-script-js-js"></script><script type="text/javascript" src="https://cuems.cornell.edu/wp-content/themes/dps/js/wp/cwd_motion.js?ver=1313862745" id="cwd-motion-js-js"></script><script type="text/javascript" src="https://cuems.cornell.edu/wp-content/themes/dps/js/cwd_card_slider.js?ver=1489324975" id="cwd-card-slider-js-js"></script><script type="text/javascript" src="https://cuems.cornell.edu/wp-content/themes/dps/js/wp/formidable_validation.js?ver=385551810" id="cwd-formidable-validation-js-js"></script><script type="text/javascript" src="https://cuems.cornell.edu/wp-content/themes/dps/js/cwd_gallery.js?ver=418670617" id="cwd-gallery-js-js"></script><script type="text/javascript" src="https://cuems.cornell.edu/wp-content/themes/dps/js/cwd_popups.js?ver=662864835" id="cwd-popups-js-js"></script><script type="text/javascript" src="https://cuems.cornell.edu/wp-content/themes/dps/js/cwd_utilities.js?ver=300709573" id="cwd-utilities-js-js"></script><script type="text/javascript" src="https://cuems.cornell.edu/wp-content/themes/dps/js/wp/twitter-widget.js?ver=1879111846" id="cwd-twitter-widget-js-js"></script><script type="text/javascript" src="https://cuems.cornell.edu/wp-content/themes/dps/js/contrib/jquery.detect_swipe.js?ver=1977684422" id="contrib-js-swipe-js-js"></script><script type="text/javascript" src="https://cuems.cornell.edu/wp-content/themes/dps/js/contrib/jquery.ba-throttle-debounce.min.js?ver=1318240257" id="contrib-debounce-js-js"></script><script type="text/javascript" src="https://cuems.cornell.edu/wp-content/themes/dps/js/contrib/modernizr.js?ver=619377286" id="contrib-js-debounce-js-js"></script><script type="text/javascript" src="https://cuems.cornell.edu/wp-content/themes/dps/js/contrib/pep.js?ver=10013816" id="contrib-js-pep-js-js"></script><script type="text/javascript" src="https://cuems.cornell.edu/wp-content/themes/dps/js/wp/jquery.fitvids.js?ver=372415816" id="contrib-js-fitvids-js-js"></script><script type="text/javascript" src="https://cuems.cornell.edu/wp-content/themes/dps/js/wp/siteimprove.js?ver=1030462096" id="cwd-siteimprove-js-js"></script><script type="text/javascript" src="https://cuems.cornell.edu/wp-content/themes/dps/js/wp/project.js?ver=83086568" id="cwd-project-js-js"></script><script type="text/javascript" src="https://cuems.cornell.edu/wp-content/themes/dps/js/wp/cwd_tab_interface.js?ver=613938780" id="cwd-tabs-interface-js"></script><script type="text/javascript" src="https://cuems.cornell.edu/wp-includes/js/jquery/ui/effect.min.js?ver=145357881" id="jquery-effects-core-js"></script><script type="text/javascript" src="https://cuems.cornell.edu/wp-content/themes/dps/js/cwd_slider.js?ver=300460180" id="cwd-slider-js-js"></script><script type="text/javascript" src="https://cuems.cornell.edu/wp-content/themes/dps/js/dps_alert_banner.js?ver=310801604" id="dps-alert-banner-js-js"></script> </body></html>