Washington to need first aid squad
A decision by the Allentown First Aid Squad to cease service to the township at the end of the year left Washington officials last week planning to start a rescue squad here.
By: Mark Moffa, Staff Writer, Messenger Press: http://www.messengerpress.com
WASHINGTON
— A decision by the Allentown First Aid Squad to cease service to the township
at the end of the year left officials last week planning to start a rescue squad
here.
Township Administrator Dick Van Noy said at a Township
Committee meeting June 14 that the township's Fire Department is willing to take
on the responsibility of providing a rescue service.
Fire Commissioner Debbie Matson, who was at the meeting, said
the department will need two ambulances and eight more full-time employees to
accomplish the task. Two rescue squad members would be in the firehouse at all
times.
Ruth Bertagni, captain of the Allentown First Aid Squad, said
the all-volunteer squad was having difficulty covering Washington.
"We just don't have enough volunteers to cover Washington
Township with the growth that's happening in Upper Freehold Township," Ms.
Bertagni said.
Ms. Bertagni said the squad notified the township this month
of its decision to cease service to Washington in order to give township
officials enough time to establish another service.
"I'm grateful that Allentown let us know early that they
couldn't provide that service any longer," Committeeman Jack Mozloom said.
Ms. Matson said she was appearing before the committee to see
if there were any objections to the idea of the fire district providing the
township's first aid service.
Mayor Dave Fried said it was a "great idea," but
wanted Mr. Van Noy to get a price from Capital Health Systems for first aid
service before the committee made any formal declarations. Mr. Van Noy, who said
he already spoke to a representative from Capital Health, did not recommend the
service.
"It's a private service and the residents who use it will
have to pay," he said. "It's like you need a major credit card before
they take you out, to be blunt."
None of the committee members expressed objections to the Fire
Department's offer, although there was concern about the cost.
"We have to keep the personnel to a minimum,"
Committeeman Doug Tindall said. "We're a small town and we don't have that
large of a tax base."
Currently, the township pays Allentown $29,600 for its
service. In addition to that stipend, Washington leases an ambulance to
Allentown First Aid for $1 a year.
Committeeman Vince Calcagno said the committee purchased the
ambulance in the mid-1990s for more than $80,000, and leased it to Allentown for
$1 as a way of compensating the squad for its service.
The lease expires in 2003, but includes a clause automatically
terminating the agreement if Allentown stops providing service to Washington.
Mr. Van Noy said the township does intend to take back its
ambulance, and will need to look for one more.
"I think it's great for the residents to bring it under
the jurisdiction of the township," Committeewoman Cathy St. John said.
Township officials expressed concern earlier this year at
response times in excess of 20 minutes for ambulance calls from Washington. Ms.
Matson said it sometimes takes Allentown 20 to 40 minutes to respond to a call.
Ms. Bertagni said it is almost five miles from the first aid
squad's station on Waker Avenue (Route 526) to the center of Robbinsville and
that the squad's volunteers often have difficulty reaching the squad station
through the borough's traffic.
Allentown will continue to provide mutual aid to Washington,
Ms. Bertagni said, backing up the township when needed.
Article courtesy of the Messenger Press: http://www.messengerpress.com