If you read between the lines in this story that we did on local EMT reaction to a state report on emergency services, you should come away with the impression that the state is on the money in its criticism of the current setup.
The state study
cited, in particular, financial problems, a shortfall in volunteers, a lack of comprehensive EMS legislation, and sub-par Advanced Life Support services as the main causes for concern. It also listed 55 recommendations to revamp the EMS system, which includes 1,500 certified paramedics and 22,000 emergency medical technicians statewide.
Local volunteers acknowledged all the problems that the state cited, but then lapsed into defensive mode:
local squad leaders said the recommendation to save expenses by merging smaller operations would not improve services in the area, because they already work closely together. They also questioned the feasibility of paying the salaries and benefits of additional career EMTs, another move urged by the report.
According to Mr. Wolfe, “You’re not gonna gain a lot in the way we operate. We already have the mechanisms to draw on the pool of available volunteers.”
As for more career EMTs, he said, “Someone’s gotta pay for that, and it’s already a burden to pay for police and fire.”
Al Low-Beer said it would be impossible for the Kendall Park squad to include career EMTs.
”The study forgot to mention one thing, and that’s how to pay for everything,” he said. “You couldn’t run the squad without a major increase in taxes.”
He also criticized the study’s recommendation to appoint a regional director to oversee the squads.
”If somebody was telling us what we need to do, that would definitely be a problem,” he said.
The study seems to me a start. Anyone who thinks that a state as populace as New Jersey, with as many people commuting as we have, or working multiple jobs, can continue to rely on volunteers for our emergency services is just fooling themselves. While we might not like to admit it, we will have to go to a paid system at some point. We should have the discussion now and include as many of the main players as we can so that when the time comes, we have something that will work.
South Brunswick Post, The Cranbury Press
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Hank Kalet 