Joining forces for safety and response

The University of Florida Division of Public Safety has announced its partnership with the University of Florida Gator Emergency Medical Response Unit. This collaboration will support the educational responsibility of the university and the UF Public Safety mission in providing the highest level of community service in the protection of life and property through innovative services.

The Florida Gator Emergency Medical Response Unit, or GEMRU, was created in 2015. Working with UFPD and fire rescue response, it provides emergency and non-emergency medical care to UF students, faculty, staff and visitors. The GEMRU is student-operated, volunteer and nonprofit.

Of the GEMRU’s 41 current members, 13 are EMT/Paramedic certified. Medical Director, Dr. Christine Van Dillen, the UF Department of Emergency Medicine and Assistant Vice-President of Public and Environmental Safety, Chief Linda J. Stump-Kurnick, oversee the unit. Van Dillen said “The GEMRU is a great addition to emergency medical resources and the program provides a great amount of motivation and experience to the personnel involved. I am excited to be a part of it all.”

The GEMRU will be present throughout the year at numerous special events that would ordinarily not have emergency medical staff on site, beginning with January’s Dance Marathon.

Additional information can be found at www.gemru.org.