Libby Schwab, F’14, and Kyle Titsworth, S’12, on duty together for UVM Rescue.
Libby and Kyle, Island School Alumni and University of Vermont students, have ended up working on the same team in Burlington, Vermont. UVM Rescue is an Advanced Life Support (ALS) Ambulance. It is staffed and operated by University of Vermont students 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. UVM runs primarily to the University of Vermont Campus, the UVM Medical Center Helipad, as well as responding to mutual aid secondary to Burlington, South Burlington, Winooski, and other surrounding areas. Last year, UVM Rescue responded to over 1,800 calls, with a majority of calls being off campus. We asked Libby and Kyle to answer a couple questions about their experience. Their responses are quoted below!
How did The Island School influence your decision to join UVM Rescue?
Libby — “Island School taught me to try new things. That is the whole motto down there. You throw yourself into this environment, where you know no one, and know nothing. UVM Rescue is just like that. Doing something completely different, knowing no one. Ever since I left the Island School, I told myself I would try something new as often as possible. When I saw the ambulance at the club fair, I knew this was something I wanted to try. Like Island School, this club gives me hands on experience in real life situations, preparing me for my future career.”
Kyle — “My ability to join UVM Rescue was entirely prompted by the Island School nurse and math teacher, Rachael Shapiro. Rachael was an EMT-Intermediate at the time and I constantly spent time bugging her because I was interested in the care she was providing for the community and admired her resourcefulness, leadership, and dedication to her roles. When I returned home I quickly sought out an EMT class and within the first few weeks freshman at UVM year I had joined UVM Rescue.”
Although you and Kyle were different semesters, do you see similarities in your perspective because of your shared Island School background?
“Island School’s major focus is on the environment and sustainability. UVM shares some of the same outlooks, no matter what scale it be on. One thing that drew us both here was the focus on the environment and opportunities to be outside. Like The Island School, a majority of the classes deal with real life situations, such as measuring the cisterns for water, or energy production from solar panels. UVM Rescue gives us the opportunity to deal with real patients on a daily basis, always challenging us to try new things and improve the world around us.”