ST.BONAVENTURE, NY (Apr. 1st, 2016) — AJ Loughry sits on a green couch in the center lounge on the 4th floor of Devereux Hall. He sips his coffee, looking out the window as he reminisces about the roughest night he’s encountered at St. Bonaventure University. The night in question involved the school’s medical emergency response team, better known as MERT.
“My friend and I were drinking and at some point someone called MERT,” said Loughry. “Security came and tried to take my friend to the hospital despite us both protesting it. When MERT got there, they weren’t allowed to evaluate due to protocol with security. The hospital was automatically called, without any evaluation of me, or my friend from MERT, despite us both being conscious, coherent
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“When MERT receives a call for an intoxicated patient, they typically go through a series of tests, said Segrue. “If according to the EMT in charge of the scene, the student is not excessively intoxicated, the patient can be signed off to the care of a sober individual to watch over their friend for the night. In the case that the patient needs additional medical attention, MERT will call Allegany Rescue to scene to escort the patient to Olean General Hospital where they can receive additional care.” Some Students believe that “additional care” happens more often than it should.
Students such as Scott Gaffey, a sophomore education major, says he thinks the system should be in place, but currently has major flaws.
“I think the idea of MERT is good, but its overused unnecessarily, said Gaffey. “I don’t think that highly of it.”
Gaffey then recounted his experience with MERT last year after taking 10 shots of vodka.
“When MERT came, they said I seemed fine, but when they took my blood pressure again, apparently it changed. Because it wasn’t consistent, they told me I automatically had to go to the