Brown University Emergency Medical Services (BEMS) provides basic and advanced emergency medical care for medical emergencies, available by calling the Brown emergency number at 401-863-4111. The organization also provides a range of other services, including support specific to COVID-19 isolation and quarantine. For the most up to date resources related to COVID-19, visit healthy.brown.edu.
Health & Wellness
Emergency Medical Services
Campus Services
Emergency Services
Call 401-863-4111 to request Brown University Emergency Medical Services (BEMS) for campus emergency care and medical assistance, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Reasons to call EMS include but are not limited to:
- Difficulty breathing
- Major bleeding
- Obvious major injury
- Injury that impairs mobility
- Loss of consciousness or unresponsiveness
- Diminished consciousness or mental confusion
- Severe pain — of sudden onset, of unknown cause, or of long duration
- Alcohol or other drug intoxication
- Sexual assault
The BEMS ambulance will respond and provide prehospital care and transportation to the hospital or Health Services as indicated. In the event that BEMS is already engaged, backup response is coordinated with a private EMS and/or the Providence Fire Department EMS.
Non-Emergency Transports for Appointments
If you are unable to take the shuttle due to illness or injury but need to get to Health Services, BEMS can provide a ride. Call the Brown Department of Public Safety (DPS) non-emergency number at 401-863-3322 to request EMS 30 minutes before your appointment. Be sure to have the name of your Health Services provider available.
Campus Event Coverage Request
Requests for medical coverage at events can be made by submitting the Coverage Request Form. Please provide a minimum of two weeks notice for small events and eight weeks for major campus or recurring events requiring significant planning.
Learn more about Special Events Coverage Fees.
Cost of EMS Services
There are no out-of-pocket or insurance billing costs for BEMS non-emergency services such as rides for appointments or COVID support.
In a true emergency requiring hospital or other emergency resources, patients will be billed by the hospital for the cost of their hospital care and by any additional non-Brown EMS resources required to manage the emergency.
BEMS itself does not bill for patient care or transport. Our specialized campus services are offered at no cost.
Please note: A physician group in the local hospital system uses the name Brown Emergency Medicine. They are hospital emergency physicians and have no affiliation with BEMS. If you receive a bill from BEM or Brown Emergency Medicine, that is a hospital bill and not from the BEMS campus ambulance service.