Hillsborough Rescue Squad’s Future May Be In Jeopardy

HILLSBOROUGH, NJ — Residents and surrounding emergency officials are upset that the Hillsborough Rescue Squad may be dismantled and replaced by Robert Wood Johnson Hospital to provide emergency medical services for the township.

Francis Straz, a Hillsborough resident and EMS responder, has started a petition to stop the council and save the rescue squad.

Straz had lived in Somerville and served on Somerville’s Rescue Squad for more than 20 years. He also served on the Hillsborough EMS for two years before stepping aside.

“This is something that needs to be fought,” Straz said. “I’m not a political animal but when the fight needs to be done, I am more than willing to go out there especially if it is to protect emergency responders. … It comes down to the health and safety of our citizens.”

The council had voted back in December to get bids for emergency medical services for the town. The only bid that was returned was from RWJ. The vote to continue forward with this bid has not come up on the agenda yet.

However, with a population of 40,000 Straz believes the response time would diminish horribly and service would not be the same in Hillsborough. Not to mention the squad and its members would be out of a job.

“It would be horrible,” Straz said of the response time. “There is no guarantee RWJ would have an ambulance in Hillsborough. They are supposed to keep one rig in Raritan but there is no guarantee there will be one in Hillsborough.”

“In what is ostensibly a ‘cost saving’ measure, the Township Committee has begun the process to replace the Hillsborough Rescue Squad with a private vendor,” Hillsborough EMS posted on Facebook.

Formed in 1955 by 16 charter members, Hillsborough EMS has evolved into one of the largest EMS organizations in central New Jersey and was named “Public EMS Provider of the Year” in 2004 and 2009 by the New Jersey Department of Health, Office of Emergency Medical Services.

The EMS crews are on duty 24 hours a day, 365 days a year providing emergency response to heart attacks, strokes, falls, burns, motor vehicle crashes, and other emergencies, according to the Hillsborough EMS website.

In 2016, the Hillsborough EMS responded to 3,501 calls.

The petition, which was started on Sunday, already has 859 signatures. Straz will present the petition to the council at Tuesday night’s council meeting.

“I only left Hillsborough a few years ago and the Rescue squad saved my grandmother a few times. They are a critical part of giving people a chance at survival and need the support of everyone. Save the Squad,” said one supporter.

“Growing up in Hillsborough several of my friends parents were part of the Hillsborough department. They were such a huge positive impact on myself and our community. Also while my grandfather was alive he became ill and we relied on their services on several occasions. Their constant kindness and caring approach continually impacted my family in time of crisis. Sometimes big business is not the answer, family is,” said another supporter.

“A few years ago my mother had a stroke. The Hillsborough Rescue Squad saved her life. We need to keep this extremely important service in Hillsborough,” another supporter wrote.

Multiple supporters are expected to come out with Straz and stand with him at the Feb. 14 meeting.

If nothing is resolved at the meeting, Tim Pino, retired Canine Commander for the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office is planning on starting a rally to support the EMS.

The council will meet on Feb. 14 at 7:30 p.m. at the Hillsborough Township Municipal Complex, 379 S Branch Rd, Hillsborough Township.

For more information on the petition visit https://www.change.org/p/every... Or follow the Hillsborough EMS on Facebook.

(Image via Hillsborough EMS)

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