Community Responder Program Expands Access to Lifesaving Skills
When a medical emergency happens, the people nearby play a vital role before emergency responders arrive.
That's one reason UC Davis Fire Captain Scott Hatcher set out to develop a new kind of emergency response training for the campus community. His goal: Make practical, lifesaving training more accessible so more people are prepared to help in case of an emergency.
The result is the UC Davis Community Responder Program, a new hands-on course developed by Hatcher and the Emergency Medical Services Division to prepare faculty, staff and students to respond confidently during medical emergencies.
“A safer campus starts with a prepared community,” Hatcher said. “Our goal is to give people the skills and confidence to help during a medical emergency.”
Practical training designed for UC Davis
The two-and-a-half-hour Community Responder course brings several emergency response skills together in one training designed specifically for the UC Davis community. Participants practice recognizing and responding to medical emergencies, such as cardiac arrest, severe bleeding and opioid overdose in the first few minutes before emergency responders arrive.
The campus-specific approach is an important part of the program. In addition to learning lifesaving skills, participants become familiar with campus emergency response resources, such as the PulsePoint app, AEDs, Stop the Bleed® kits and Narcan.
“The more people we can prepare to recognize an emergency and take action, the more prepared our campus becomes,” UC Davis Fire Chief Nate Hartinger said. “Community Responder training gives us a practical way to bring those lifesaving skills to more faculty, staff and students.”
Hatcher developed the program to make this type of training widely available to members of the campus community. The short, affordable format is intended for those who want practical emergency response skills but do not need professional CPR or first aid certification. Participants also have the chance to practice alongside colleagues and develop a shared understanding of how to respond when someone needs help.
Bring Community Responder training to your team
Community Responder training costs $30 per participant. Departments and registered student organizations can register participants for a regularly scheduled session, typically offered on the first Wednesday of each month, or request a dedicated training session for groups of 10 to 24. A recharge account number is required for either option.
Learn more about the Community Responder Program and how to register.