Frequently Asked Questions

Can College of Charleston EMS transport me to the hospital?  Top

Yes. The College of Charleston EMS will transport any student, faculty, or staff member to area hospitals. To request service please call 911.

Which hospital will the College of Charleston EMS transport me to? Top

The College of Charleston EMS is authorized to transport patients to Downtown MUSC and Roper Hospitals. Those patients without a preference will be transported to the most appropriate facility. Patients requesting transport to other area hospitals such as East Cooper Hospital, Saint Francis Hospital, and Trident Hospital may be referred to Charleston County EMS for transportation depending on resource availability.

If I call 911 from a cell phone, which EMS service will respond? Top

When you call 911 from a cell phone while you are on campus, you will be connected to the Charleston County Consolidated Dispatch Center. College of Charleston EMS will be notified of the call and will respond if it falls during the hours of which we are inservice. 

If you call the College of Charleston Public Safety Emergency Line at 843.953.5609 you will immediately have the College of Charleston resources (EMS and/or Public Safety) dispatched to your location. Charleston County EMS will also be notified if the College of Charleston EMS is unavailable.

If I am ever a patient of College of Charleston EMS, will my information remain confidential? Top

Yes. As a professional healthcare provider, College of Charleston Fire and EMS falls within the guidelines of HIPAA, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. Any information gathered about a patient, at the scene of a call or otherwise, will be kept in confidential, secure records and will not be shared with anyone outside of the EMTs who were involved in the call, except as specified by HIPAA or South Carolina law.  Patients over the age of 18 are assured that the details of their call will not be shared with the College or their parents, as they are considered adults under the HIPAA guidelines. Please see our Privacy Information page for more information about HIPAA practices.

Is College of Charleston EMS part of the Department of Public Safety? Top

Yes. College of Charleston EMS is a unit of the Department of Public Safety, but College of Charleston EMTs are not police officers.  College of Charleston EMS calls are dispatched by the public safety department dispatcher on the police radio channels.  On certain calls, such as alcohol-related calls, the College of Charleston Public Safety will dispatch an officer to the call along with College of Charleston EMS to ensure the safety of the patient and of the medics.

Because College of Charleston EMS medics are not police officers and are subject to HIPAA, they are not required, nor do they have the authority, to report alcohol-related incidents to the College of Charleston. College of Charleston Public Safety Officers are not medical personnel and are required by the guidelines of the police department to report underage consumption of alcohol, narcotics use or any other violation of the law, to the College of Charleston.

Do College of Charleston EMTs get paid? Top

No. College of Charleston EMS is an entirely student-run, volunteer organization.

How do I join College of Charleston EMS? Top

Please see our How to Join page for information on volunteering with our organization.

Where can College of Charleston EMS respond? Top

College of Charleston EMS is primarily a campus-based, student run EMS agency. Therefore, we respond to all areas of College of Charleston’s campus. College of Charleston EMS also responds to the surrounding Charleston community when requested by a College of Charleston student, or for mutual aid to Charleston County EMS and the City of Charleston Fire Department. 

What is College of Charleston EMS' average response time to a call? Top

The average response time of College of Charleston EMS is 3 minutes.

How can I donate? Top

 Email EMS@cofc.edu for more information

Do I have to get transported to the hospital if I call College of Charleston EMS? Top

College of Charleston EMS will arrange transport for any patient requesting or requiring transport to the emergency department. Any patient who calls the emergency number but does not wish to be transported may discuss this with the College of Charleston EMT who is on the scene of the call. EMS cannot force any competent party to be transported.