BDN Interviews Dana, Young About Alcohol-Related Medical Calls

The Bangor Daily News spoke with Robert Dana, UMaine’s vice president for student life and dean of students; Dick Young, UMaine auxiliary operations director; and members of the University Volunteer Ambulance Corps (UVAC) for a report about a recent increase in the number of alcohol-related ambulance transport requests for UMaine students. Young said when responding to alcohol-related calls, UVAC volunteers evaluate the student to make sure they are safe. Most of the calls for help come from friends and residence hall staff, he added. Dana said the Medical Amnesty and Good Samaritan reporting program, which started in 2010 to encourage students to report extremely intoxicated classmates, may be playing a role in the increased numbers. “It makes a safer community — a closer community,” he said of the program.