Washington hires professional EMTs
01/03/02
Trenton Times
By LAURIE WHALEN
Staff Writer
WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP -- A new first aid squad will soon answer medical emergency calls in a new $128,000 ambulance.
"We now have a first aid squad and an ambulance being run and administered by professional people," said Capt. David C. Horsnall of the township fire department.
On Saturday, eight full-time, trained emergency medical technicians/ firefighters will be sworn in and begin a 24-hour shift at 7 a.m. Sunday, said Horsnall.
"Anything from a laceration on a hand to a heart attack, we'll take the full range of calls," he said.
Before 2000, the township's fire department did not respond to medical emergency but all 12 firemen received emergency medical technician training that allowed them to respond to more than 300 calls last year, Horsnall said.
The exact tax implication of hiring eight emergency workers at a starting salary of $32,000 a year plus health benefits will be known after the board of fire commissioners votes on the final reading of the fire budget at a meeting Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the fire house, Fire Commissioner Debbie Matson said.
Matson said she estimated the 16-cent fire tax rate will increase by about 7 cents per $100 of assessed value.
The owner of a property assessed at the township average of $177,000 pays about $283 a year for the fire tax.
"The projection is 7 cents, but we're looking at what we can do to lower it if that's at all possible," Matson said of the expected tax increase.
The cost of the ambulance will not be included in the fire tax increase because the municipality bought it and will lease it to the fire department for $5 a year, she said.
Another township-owned ambulance, which has been operated by Allentown's first aid squad, will be returned to the township, leaving two at its disposal.
Allentown's first aid squad last year told the township it had to terminate services, starting Saturday. The borough said an increase in emergency calls in its own fire district made it difficult to continue providing services to both municipalities.
The addition of an ambulance for the fire department likely will mean a doubling of last year's 341 emergency calls because the squad will be able to answer lower priority calls, said Horsnall.
Five full-time firefighters will be on duty at any time -- three assigned to one of the two fire engines and two on the ambulance.
"At some time in their life people will require medical attention and with the township growing as it is they deserve to have the best medical and fire protection that can be afforded to them," Horsnall said.