After the loss of Whitman’s 24/7 Health Center, the college has been looking to fill their healthcare gap. A new student group called Whitman College First Responders (WCFR) aims to do just that. 

Whitman’s first-ever student responder group launched with the start of the semester. Supporters see the program as filling a gap in Whitman’s student health and safety policy. A similar program was proposed by then-student Omar Aldahleh in 2016. Six years prior, in 2010, students attempted to organize a similar group. Both efforts to organize such a group were ultimately unsuccessful. 

Founder, President, and Director of Whitman College First Responders (WCFR) Kenzie Bay, a senior, attributes part of her group’s success to changes in the availability of on-campus resources like the Health Center which used to be open 24/7.

“It’s a resource that fills the gap between when the Health Center’s closed … but it’s maybe not quite the level of [emergency medical service] yet, or you’re not sure, so it’s a triage and treatment level before paramedics,” Bay said.  

WCFR is dispatched by campus security, who will always be present with WCFR at the scene. Campus security are obligated to report potential violations of student conduct and/or the law to the appropriate authorities. WCFR themselves are not considered mandatory reporters. 

Reports that student responders must fill out post-visit will also be collected by campus security.

“Our main forms are a chart report form [like] you would see with EMS, and we have a patient refusal and release form,” Bay said. “Both of those forms get attached to security’s forms, which then get sent over to the Health Center.”

In an email to The Wire, Director of Security Greg Powell outlined security’s procedures for handling WCFR documentation. 

“Campus security will respond to all calls with WCFR and process all final documentation as mandatory reports,” Powell said.

Powell did not specify what information from WCFR’s documentation will be included in the mandatory reports. However, Powell noted other measures security takes to ensure privacy.  

“The document is shredded after campus security finishes the final report,” Powell said.

Bay says that even though security will be present on scene, she hopes the peer-to-peer aspect of WCFR might make students more comfortable. 

“It might be easier to talk to a [peer], versus a security officer because their main role on scene is going to be coordinating resources whereas we’re doing more of the assessment and the talking,” Bay said. 

Others have expressed concerns that the administration may be taking advantage of student volunteers. The semester has already been a contentious one for student volunteers, with a recent Sexual Violence Prevention presentation ending when students publicly accused the administration of ill treatment. 

“People [have said] make sure they don’t use you,” Bay said. 

Still, Bay emphasizes that the administration has been extremely supportive of WCFS. 

“This was something that the college was trying to figure out before I came along, so I kind of came along with a solution,” Bay said, “but at the same time, throughout this entire process they have emphasized consistently [that] you are students first.”

Heather Lee, Director of Walla Walla Emergency Medical Services, worked with Bay to give student volunteers American Heart Association Heartsaver training.

“Because the college is not an EMS agency, they can’t be trained to a level to receive an EMS credential through us,” Lee said. “I see this group as the good samaritans, a group of people that are willing to assist when someone needs it.”

Lee is hopeful that the program will lead some students to a career path in EMS. 

“They’re also providing education into how that process works which could in turn give agencies individuals that they wouldn’t have otherwise encountered,” Lee said.

WCFR can be accessed by calling campus security’s emergency number: 509-527-5777. Other urgent healthcare resources in town include Providence St. Mary’s Emergency Room which is open 24/7. The Walla Walla YWCA operates a 24/7 domestic violence and sexual assault crisis hotline: 509-529-9922. To speak with a police officer, the non-emergency dispatch number is 509-527-1960. In an emergency, call or text 911.