About Us
The McGill Student Emergency Response Team is a student-run volunteer service, supported by the Students' Society of McGill University (SSMU). Our mission is to provide a free and accessible first aid service to McGill University and the greater Montreal community.
Our team is made up of 80+ dedicated volunteers that are certified First Responders and Emergency Medical Responders under the Canadian Red Cross. We carry a wide range of first aid equipment, including automated external defibrillators, oxygen tanks, cervical collars, and Epi-Pens, and we operate under nationally-recognized protocols. We respond to all McGill residences, with the exception of Solin Hall, between the hours of 18h00 and 6h00.
As an official training partner of the Canadian Red Cross, we aim to disseminate first aid knowledge and skills to the public, by offering first aid courses and certifications.
Call Statistics
2024-2025 Executive Team
Executive Director
Mathilde Le Luyer (she/her/elle)
Mathilde is the Chair of the Executive Committee and the official spokesperson for MSERT. She oversees the operation of the team, as well as supports and coordinates the efforts of each (amazing) executive member and their respective portfolios. She is responsible for ensuring that all of MSERT's actions are in line with MSERT and SSMU's constitutions and by-laws, and she enforces rules and regulations within the team, as outlined by the Warnings and Disciplinary Procedures Manual. She is MSERT's liaison with outside organizations such as other SSMU services and McGill security.
Director of Personnel
Olivia Song (she/her/elle)
Olivia manages MSERT’s service requests from various organizations, responder scheduling, and internal communications/events. Along with her events coordinators, Alex, Claire, and JC, she plans social events to facilitate team bonding amongst volunteers. She handles incoming MSERT service requests from both McGill and external organizations and works with Max, the scheduling coordinator, to schedule responders for different events based on their availability. Outside of MSERT, you can see Olivia enjoying a nice cup of mocha at Cafe Castel while studying, but you can also not see her because she loves to binge-watch Grey’s Anatomy and Brooklyn 99 in bed.
Director of Operations
Thomas Coady (he/him/il)
Thomas’s role is to equip, feed, and clothe all the responders on the team. This involves actively ordering supplies from our medical suppliers, as well as tracking and stocking our responder locations at the Molson, Royal Victoria College Residences as well as the MSERT office in the SSMU building and the McGill gym. Thomas leads a team of three operations coordinators: Wyatt Rexer, Monica Moon and Celeste Laporte. Thomas studies Computer Engineering, is a big fan of math and computer science, and loves cringey memes.
Director of Finance & Conferences
Mary Allen (she/her/elle)
Mary creates and oversees the MSERT budget, tracks and processes payments, and manages reimbursements for team members. She communicates with the SSMU financial department to ensure that MSERT’s financial operations run smoothly. Additionally, Mary facilitates MSERT’s attendance at ACERT conferences and international events such as the National Collegiate Emergency Medical Services Foundation (NCEMSF) conference. She is also responsible for organizing fundraisers, creating sponsorship packages, and seeking out sponsors. She works closely with her Finance and Conferences coordinators, Karuna and Souren. When she’s not working on the MSERT budget, you can either find her in the lab running an experiment or baking her next sweet treat.
Director of Training
Ava Craig (she/her/elle)Ava is responsible for planning and executing trainings and evaluations for the team based on Canadian Red Cross protocols. Ava is the chair of the training committee, which includes her assistant, Noe, and seven training coordinators: Annika, Ian, Justin, Mona, Ryan M, Ryan W, and Simon. Together, the committee ensures that MSERT's responders deliver a high-quality of care to their patients. Outside of MSERT, Ava loves doing ballet and exploring new cafes in Montreal!
Director of Courses & Public Relations
Alexander O'Neill (he/him/il)
As the official representative of the Canadian Red Cross at McGill, Alexander facilitates first aid courses offered by MSERT to McGill staff and students, as well as the greater Montreal community. He is the liaison with our external training partner Impact Sante and coordinates the First Responder, Emergency Medical Responder, and Basic Life Support courses for new and returning members. He works closely with his AMAZING Courses and PR coordinators, Jen, Maria and Vanessa. Together the committee is responsible for creating promotional materials for the team, updating MSERT's social media, maintaining the website, and organizing in-person PR activities. In his free time, Alexander can be found lurking in Redpath or playing tennis on random courts around Montreal.
Director of Internal Affairs
Lesley Zhan (she/her/elle)
Lesley is responsible for the management of MSERT's documentation, statistics, and feedback systems, including compilation of call statistics, McGill community comments, and internal suggestions and progress reports. In addition, she designs and implements the team's equity and psychological first aid curricula. Lesley works with Mathilde on policy creation and revision, and with the internal affairs coordinators, Harshita and Kaya, on perpetual improvement of MSERT's internal operational and analytical capacities. Lesley has been a volunteer with MSERT since 2022. Outside of MSERT, Lesley spends her time exploring Montreal’s cafe scene, training in taekwondo, baking, and collecting houseplants.
Brief History of MSERT
1997-1998
The McGill Student Emergency Response Team was established by students in the Winter Semester of 1997, supported by the Student’s Society of McGill University (SSMU).
1998-1999
Winter of 1999 represented growth for MSERT, as it upgraded in status from a SSMU Club to a SSMU Service and the number of volunteers increased from 10 to 50 members.
2000-2001
As a member of ACERT, the Association of Campus Emergency Respose Teams of Canada, MSERT undertook the organization and hosting of the ACERT MIXER competition. This event provides participants with the opportunity to share experiences, improve their knowldge, and test their first aid skills in an atmosphere of friendly competition.
Demand for first aid coverage at special events increased four-fold. MSERT upgraded its training processes as well as their equipment.
2001-2002
At the SSMU awards ceremony, MSERT took home the SSMU Service of the Year and SSMU President of the Year, as well as being nominated for Volunteer of the year and Campus Life Fund Event of the Year.
This year, MSERT began offering low-cost Standard First Aid courses to the McGill community, and marked the beginning of campus coverage at Gerts bar, various Intramural Sports.
2003-2004
In 2004, MSERT began stationing responders on call overnight at Upper Residences. What started as a pilot program proved to be greatly appreciated by the students.
2004-2005
MSERT began scheduling the Upper Residence shifts for every night of the week, essentially doubling the team’s volunteer hours.
This year was also the first that M-SERT organized a First Responder course to increase the level of training of its members. The course includes advanced first aid skills and theory, including airway management, spinal injury management and oxygen administration. Additionally, M-SERT purchased an Automated External Defibrillator (AED), the first on campus, and trained 4 members in its operation.
M-SERT was also designated the largest English- authorized provider of first aid courses in Quebec at this point.
M-SERT members were able to place 3rd in the NCCER competition this year, demonstrating an excellence of care and patient management, even in comparison to other, more established, first response teams.
2005-2006
In 2005-2006, all members were trained to use the AED and it was placed in Upper Residence to be used when responding.
In terms of service, volunteer hours tripled this year in comparison with previous years and M-SERT became involved in Frosh and Discover McGill training for the first time, helping to train the volunteers by supplying them with first aid information relevant to these activities. In February of 2006, M-SERT hosted the NCCER competition, allowing other Canadian universities to experience Montréal. M-SERT was also given a seat on the ACERT Board of Directors this year, giving M-SERT a voice at the national level.
2006-2007
Throughout this year, most Shift Supervisors were Canadian Red Cross First Responders, increasing the level of care that the team could provide on every shift.
To maintain this high level of care, member evaluations were instated and carried out as needed on an impartial basis.
2007-2008
M-SERT initiated a new project that gave them the authority to operate AEDs on the McGill campus. The condition of each AED should be checked on a regular basis to ensure that they are in working condition, should they be needed in an emergency.
This year, M-SERT increased its proportion of trained Canadian Red Cross First Responders to over 80% of its members. In order to increase the level of care as a provider, M-SERT made it mandatory that each Shift Supervisor hold this level of certification, or the equivalent. To maintain the team’s level of training, M-SERT created a committee of Training Coordinators, the Training Committee, who are devoted to ensuring that all members’ skills are kept fresh and up- to-date.
2008-2009
Considerable steps towards drafting an on-call campus-wide coverage proposal began in 2008- 2009. The completed proposal, submitted to the McGill Administration in the Winter Semester of 2009, outlined a preliminary scheme of the coverage that M-SERT would provide to the McGill Downtown Campus between the hours of 09h00 and 15h00.
Seven members were trained as Canadian Red Cross Standard First Aid Instructors to keep up with the ever-increasing demand of first aid courses.
In April, M-SERT was once again recognized as the SSMU Service of the Year.
2009-2010
M-SERT hosted the three-day MIXER conference in November, boasting an attendance of nearly 150 delegates from campus emergency response teams across Canada.
This year, M-SERT also participated in a school shooting simulation during the Thanksgiving weekend, in conjunction with McGill Emergency Measures, Urgences Santé, and the Montreal Police Department, playing the role of victims and providing casualty simulation. M-SERT then partnered with Missions de Solidarité Responsable International (MSR), and, together, sent a team of M-SERT members to Haiti in June 2010, following the devasting earthquake.
M-SERT took home the SSMU Service of the Year award for the second year in a row.
2010-2011
The summer of 2010, the Executive Committee decided to pursue the expansion of M-SERT’s service in Residences to include the area of Lower Residences (Royal Victoria College, Carrefour Sherbrooke, University Hall, Presbyterian College, and New Residence Hall).
M-SERT worked hard to increase its exposure on campus through an involvement with Orientation Week, Frosh, Safety Week and SSMU-endorsed events. After its September 2010 recruitment, M-SERT was at its largest membership, with approximately 59 Active members.
2011-2012
M-SERT’s expanded coverage included responding to calls in Greenbriar, Presbyterian College, University Hall, Royal Victoria College, and Carrefour Sherbrooke, while maintaining coverage of Gardner Hall, Molson Hall, McConnell Hall and Douglas Hall.
2012-2013
In 2012, M-SERT expanded its coverage in Lower Residences to include both New Residence Hall and La Citadelle.
2013-2014
In 2013/2014, MSERT’s no longer held a Training Partner contract with the Red Cross through SSMU.
2014-2015
In 2014/2015 MSERT started being on-call during our office hours, from 11am-6pm, in order to advance the goal of 24-hour coverage.
No courses were able to be held during the year as MSERT was no longer a Training Partner of the Red Cross. However, by the end of the year, a contract was signed with Kwartha Emergency Safety Training Inc. in order to provide SFA courses to the public again.
2015-2016
The veteran members of MSERT received Mental Health First Aid Training from McGill’s “Counselling and Mental Health Services”.
2016-2017
In 2016/2017, MSERT added several items to the pack, including Wet Wipes, Pulse Oximeters, and Surgical Masks.
2017-2018
SSMU allowed MSERT to sign a Training Partner contract with the Red Cross, as they were previously. MSERT was able to hold 7 first aid courses that year.
MSERT also implemented two new pieces of equipment: thermometers and fanny packs.
2018-2019
In 2018/2019, a lot of change was initiated for MSERT. MSERT hosted NCCER for the first time since 2012.
To partially help offset the financial burden of hosting a conference, MSERT increased their number of first aid courses to 12.
MSERT also expanded their coverage, by agreeing to cover all intramural sports at the new Rutherford Field. This added 67 shifts to the schedule, took more than 200 hours and resulted in a significant increase in calls.
MSERT made many new purchases for various purposes. This includes: replacing all of the 20 of the operations and training packs, replacing all of the courses manakins and AEDs, and purchasing a nice camera and tripod, fans, a label maker, shelving, pillows, tourniquets, and many more items.
As a result of all the improvements and success that was experienced by MSERT in the 2018/19 year, MSERT was recognized by SSMU with the SSMU Service of the Year Award and the SSMU Executive Committee of the Year award, for the first time since the early 2010s.
2019-2020
In 2018/2019, a lot of change was initiated for MSERT. MSERT hosted NCCER for the first time since 2012.
To partially help offset the financial burden of hosting a conference, MSERT increased their number of first aid courses to 12.
MSERT also expanded their coverage, by agreeing to cover all intramural sports at the new Rutherford Field. This added 67 shifts to the schedule, took more than 200 hours and resulted in a significant increase in calls.
MSERT made many new purchases for various purposes. This includes: replacing all of the 20 of the operations and training packs, replacing all of the courses manakins and AEDs, and purchasing a nice camera and tripod, fans, a label maker, shelving, pillows, tourniquets, and many more items.
As a result of all the improvements and success that was experienced by MSERT in the 2018/19 year, MSERT was recognized by SSMU with the SSMU Service of the Year Award and the SSMU Executive Committee of the Year award, for the first time since the early 2010s.
Sponsors
MSERT operations would not be possible without the generous contributions of our fantastic sponsors!
If you are interested in sponsoring or donating to the McGill Student Emergency Response Team please email msert.finance@gmail.com