The Texas A&M Emergency Care Team gives students an opportunity to help the Bryan-College Station community by providing medical aid.
The care team has been a volunteer organization since 1976. Students work closely with A&M Emergency Medical Services to help provide medical care for the public. Each member undergoes training to become a First Responder and CPR certified through the organization classes.
“One of the major events we do is football games,” said Michael Mores, TAMECT vice president.
With 150 active members, Mores said the organization can provide medical care alongside EMS teams. TAMECT also volunteers at other events such as hockey games, Ring Day and CapRock Health’s annual 5K run.
Emergency Care Team Public Recreations representative Isabel Nolte said the organization has also provided medical aid during major catastrophes, including the 1999 Bonfire Collapse and Hurricanes Ike and Rita.
Before a member can volunteer to help at events, they must go through a series of five classes provided by the organization to get their certifications. 
Associate instructor Maddie Malone said these classes can be taken in the span of a month, each requiring about three to five hours once a week. Even when they are certified, TAMECT members are not alone while on duty at an event. 
“When we are in the field, we are always with an EMT,” Malone said. “They are always overseeing us, and we never perform anything without them.”
The Emergency Care Team works closely with Texas A&M EMS, and many TAMECT members are also licensed EMTs. The difference between the two is that TAMECT can provide basic first aid while the EMTs can provide more serious medical help.
TAMECT also gives its members other resources outside of volunteer experience. For example, TAMECT is sending 10 of its members to attend the National Collegiate EMS Conference from Feb. 22-24.  At the conference, the organization will compete in skill competitions against similar groups from other schools. 
“In 2011, we received first place for the basic life support and mass casualty incident competitions,” Nolte said. “We continue to attend and represent Texas A&M at that conference.”
 While most members are pre-health majors, the organization is open to anyone who wants to know more about first aid and how to help people.
“We’re available to any Texas A&M student here on campus,” Mores said. “Any year and any major.”
More information can be found at tamect.tamu.edu.