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Emergencies
UMass Boston's Department of Public Safety has first responders who attend to all on-campus emergencies.
Please call 911 for immediate assistance.
Medical Emergencies
What is a Medical Emergency?
According to the American College of Emergency Physicians, the following are warning signs of a medical emergency:
- Bleeding that will not stop
- Breathing problems (difficulty breathing, shortness of breath)
- Change in mental status (such as unusual behavior, confusion, difficulty arousing)
- Chest pain
- Choking
- Coughing up or vomiting blood
- Fainting or loss of consciousness
- A feeling of committing suicide or murder
- Head or spine injury
- Severe or persistent vomiting
- Sudden injury due to a motor vehicle accident, burns or smoke inhalation, near drowning, deep or large wound, or other injuries
- Sudden, severe pain anywhere in the body
- Sudden dizziness, weakness, or change in vision
- Swallowing a poisonous substance
- Severe abdominal pain or pressure
This is not an exhaustive list; if you think you are having an emergency, call 911.
What to do in a Medical Emergency?
UMass Boston's Department of Public Safety has first responders who attend to all on-campus emergencies that may occur.
Please call 911 for immediate assistance from the police, fire department, and/or ambulance.
After-Hour Emergency Medical Facilities
Community Emergency Resources
- Boston Area Rape Crisis Center (BARCC): (800) 841-8371
- National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 988
- Never Use Alone 24/7 Line: (877) 696-1996
- Posion Control Center: (800) 222-1222
When to Go to the Emergency Room (ER)
Hospital emergency departments provide medical care 24/7. They are equipped and staffed to handle the most complex or critical needs. Certain medical conditions are considered emergencies because they can require rapid or advanced treatments, including surgery, that are only available in a hospital setting.
Symptoms that are best evaluated in an emergency room include:
- Chest pain or difficulty breathing
- Weakness/numbing on one side
- Slurred speech
- Fainting/change in mental state
- Serious burns
- Head or eye injury
- Concussion/confusion
- Broken bones and dislocated joints
- Fever with a rash
- Seizures
- Severe cuts that may require stitches
- Facial lacerations
- Severe cold or flu symptoms
- Vaginal bleeding with pregnancy
When to Call 911
Trust your gut! If your instinct tells you it's serious, do not hesitate and go to the nearest emergency room. Paramedics can often begin delivering life-saving treatment on the way to the hospital. If you or someone else is experiencing any of the following, do not drive yourself - call 911.
- Severe chest pain
- Severe bleeding
- Feeling like you may faint
- Impaired vision
- Heart attack
- Stroke
- Drug overdose
When in doubt, call 911.
When to Go to Urgent Care
Urgent care is not an emergency. Urgent care centers are same-day clinics that can handle a variety of medical problems that need to be treated right away but are not considered true emergencies.
Urgent cares are often equipped with X-ray, lab, and other diagnostic services, and therefore can handle more severe non-emergencies than walk-in clinics. They also free up emergency rooms for the most serious medical cases.
Symptoms that can be evaluated and treated at an urgent care clinic include:
- Fever without a rash
- Vomiting or persistent diarrhea
- Abdominal pain
- Wheezing or shortness of breath
- Dehydration
- Moderate flu-like symptoms
- Sprains and strains
- Small cuts that may require stitches
Before going to urgent care, you may want to contact your primary care doctor's office in case you can get a same-day appointment.
Urgent care is not a substitute for your primary care physician, but it's a great resource when you need care but can't get in with your doctor.
When to Go to a Walk-In Clinic
Walk-in clinics are a good option when you are not feeling well, but it's not serious enough for the emergency room or urgent care. Walk-in clinics offer fast, convenient access to medical care, and are generally staffed by nurse practitioners and physician assistants.
Walk-in clinics address the most minor of ailments, such as:
- Painful urination
- Rashes without fever
- Mild flu-like symptoms
- Cough and congestion symptoms
- Sore throat
- Ear pain
- Eye redness, discharge or itchiness
Many walk-in clinics also provide sports physicals and vaccines.
Mental Health Emergencies
What is a Mental Health Emergency?
Mental health emergencies include but are not limited to:
- Thoughts of suicide
- Suicidal intentions, making suicidal statements, or suicide attempts
- Impulses to hurt yourself
- Severe mental confusion or disorientation
- Incoherent or disjointed speech
- A loss of contact with reality, including hearing or seeing things that are not there and/or ideas or beliefs that are not realistic
- Extreme panic
- Demonstrated inability to care for oneself
- Have just been a victim of violence or assault
If someone you know says they are feeling suicidal:
- Do not leave the person alone
- Take any reference to suicide seriously
- Get help right away
What to do in a Mental Health Emergency?
University Health Services
Emergency mental health assistance is available 24/7 at University Health Services:
- Call the Counseling Center at (617) 287-5690 on weekdays, 8:30 am - 5:00 pm.
- Call the Crisis Line at (855) 634-4135 to speak with a clinician when the Counseling Center is closed.
Community Emergency Resources
How to help students at risk of self-harm? The Student Suicide Intervention Protocol
The purpose of this protocol is to provide education, guidance and resources to faculty, staff, students, and other members of the UMass Boston community to help students at risk of self-harm. All suicidal behavior or threats should be taken seriously and immediately referred in accordance with this protocol. Please know that FERPA does not prevent you from reporting concerns of self-harm. In case of an emergency, call UMass Boston Police at 911.