Our legacy

Established in 1981, Tulane Emergency Medical Services - TEMS - was created by a handful of students that envisioned free, community-based emergency medical care on the Uptown campus.

This inaugural class of TEMS members consisted of a group of undergraduates previously certified as Emergency Medical Technicians who saw a gap in the care of their classmates and Tulane community. Operating as a grassroots organization with minimal financial backing, Tulane EMS brought to life their first ambulance, converting a former plumber's van into what would later be named Unit 10.

As the years passed, Tulane EMS gained a positive track record Uptown for professional, reliable, and cost-free care. With this came an increase in membership, call volume, and wear on Unit 10. Having shuttled more than a decade of members to and from the scene of emergencies, the organization decided it was ready to purchase its first true ambulance, Unit 20, in 1985.

In 1999, Tulane EMS purchased a second true ambulance to run standby operations for University events and other peak demand periods. Since then, the fleet has gone through many generations, with the retirement of Units 60 and 70 and the arrival of Units 80 and 90 in the Spring of 2023. A quick response vehicle (QRV) was also acquired and put into service in 2025.

At present, membership with Tulane EMS well exceeds 70 active members, providing 24/7 emergent care to Tulane University, Loyola University, and an expanded swathe of the Uptown neighborhood. The current service area of Tulane EMS stretches from Jefferson Ave. to South Carrolton Ave., and South Claiborne Ave. to Magazine St., with Tulane EMS often requested to run mutual aid calls outside of this zone. Tulane EMS is also entrusted to provide crucial coverage during Mardi Gras on the parade route and in the entirety of the 6th District.

Outside of the traditional 911 response system, Tulane EMS and its members have played a pivotal role caring for the greater New Orleans community, responding to events such as Hurricane Katrina, the 2020 COVID-19 Pandemic, tornadoes in St. Bernard and the Lower 9th Ward in 2022, mass casualty incidents, and many other notable events. Tulane EMS and its members have been lauded by local, state, and national organizations and agencies for their uncompromising service and exemplary care.

We are grateful to the current members of Tulane EMS for their voluntary time and dedication, and all those who have come before them to make the organization what it is today.