UNF student helps lead life-saving mobile stroke unit in Jacksonville

Lawrence Mack, a soon-to-be graduate of the University of North Florida’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program, is helping revolutionize emergency stroke care in Jacksonville as the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department (JFRD) mobile stroke program manager of the city’s first Mobile Stroke Treatment Unit (MSTU).  

Housed at Fire-Rescue Station 64 on Harts Road, the MSTU is a collaboration between UF Health and JFRD. One of only three such programs in Florida, and the only one operating 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, the high-tech unit is equipped to deliver stroke diagnosis and lifesaving care before a patient even reaches the hospital. Mack is employed by JFRD as the program manager for the Quality Improvement Division, the Critical Care Team and the Mobile Stroke Team Unit. He oversees JFRD training, equipment procurement and daily operations for the MSTU, working closely with UF Health Jacksonville for the Mobile Stroke Team while the other two divisions are solely developed and operated by JFRD. 

When a stroke is suspected, both a traditional EMS ambulance and the MSTU are dispatched. The mobile unit’s specialized team includes a CT technologist, a stroke-trained nurse and two board-certified critical care paramedics. The leadership team includes Lindsey Perrotta, UF Health program manager for the MSTU, and Mack as the on-site leader for JFRD operations.  

By diagnosing and beginning treatment in the field, the MSTU essentially turns a specialized ambulance into a mobile emergency department. The equipment and expertise help to save critical minutes and can improve survival rates, as well as reduce the likelihood of long-term disability. 

“It brings the hospital to the patient,” said Mack. “We’ve already responded to over 200 calls and transported 60 patients since launching in early June. This is a game changer for stroke care in Jacksonville.”  

A Jacksonville native, Mack’s passion for emergency care was sparked in childhood by the EMS TV show “Rescue 911.” That early interest led to a career spanning respiratory therapy, EMT and paramedic certifications, and now, critical care leadership. In addition to his work with the MSTU, Mack serves as a fire captain-paramedic with JFRD, a critical care flight paramedic with UF Health’s TraumaOne helicopter team and an adjunct EMS professor at Florida State College at Jacksonville.  

Despite his busy schedule, Mack chose to pursue his BSN at UNF, drawn by its strong reputation and proximity to home. He credits professors like Drs. Sarah Firmin and Sandra Shapiro with deepening his understanding of complex patient care and helping bridge classroom learning with real-world application.  

“A lot of what I’ve learned at UNF, I use out there on the truck,” he said. “Courses like complex nursing, med-surg and fundamentals directly apply to what we do on the MSTU.”  

Mack will graduate from UNF this Friday, August 1, and already has plans to continue his education and expand his impact. He hopes to transition to flight nursing after passing the NCLEX, continue working PRN (pro re nata) and eventually pursue a graduate degree in nursing leadership and education, with the goal of teaching the next generation of emergency care professionals.  

That passion for mentorship is already taking shape. Recently, UNF nursing students had the opportunity to tour the MSTU and speak with Mack and his team, gaining firsthand insight into the fast-paced world of mobile emergency care.  

“It’s a great opportunity for students to see this level of care in action,” Mack said. “We expect our nurses to come in with strong ICU or ER experience, and UNF does a great job preparing them for that.”