Letter To Editor: Save Hillsborough EMS

Dear Reader

Please accept my opinion as my awareness of the current Hillsborough Rescue Squad issue.

I am writing this opinion as an experienced EMS Provider and Educator with over 20 years of experience but also as a concerned citizen and voter of Hillsborough New Jersey.

You must understand that the possible closure of the Hillsborough Rescue Squad will be detrimental to not only Hillsborough residents; but also, the immediate surrounding communities.

Regardless of what the Mayor and town council state that they will fully review the only bid on Ambulance services. There are other factors in play here that must be taken into consideration.

• Using a 3-year-old highly questionable consultant’s report from Fitch and Associates.
• Duplication of services: specifically dispatch services that are already provided by Somerset County.
• Mr. Williard Township Attorney, clearly stated that there will be (two ambulances in Hillsborough at all times) Mr. Williard, that is impossible to accomplish! If there are 2 to 4 calls for service in town and both ambulances are transporting patients (Where is the Coverage for the other calls) There are many times the HEMS has covered multiple hits 3 or 4 at a time and they very rarely go to mutual aid for calls.
• Current mutual aid agreements that currently exist for Fire Rehab and other rescue services are not covered. Will RWJ honor these agreements.
• Where are the vehicle extrication, water rescue, Mass Casualty Response services coming from? RWJ does not provide these services where are these services being transferred to and how is the certifications going to paid for. Rescue training is very expensive!
• Mr. Ferrera Township Administrator: stated at last night’s meeting that ALS or RWJ Mobile Intensive Care units will be on the scene. Sorry, Mr. Ferrara Wrong. On a typical day RWJ usually has 2 to 4 medic units on at night they have less. With the aging population throughout Somerset County there are more and more calls for ALS and at times there all no medics available. So, that person suffering from Cardiac Arrest, Diabetic Emergencies, Seizures, Difficulty Breathing and many other automatic ALS dispatches the medic units are constantly running calls and on several occasions over my career there have been hundreds of calls that had no medic response.

In closing, first off, I would like to apologize for my heated comments during the open session; however, I was responding to how some of the council members and township attorney was treating or speaking to the other concerned citizens. I am the person that started Save Hillsborough EMS petition and currently almost 1500 signatures have been obtained. Regardless, of how the council feels, the Citizens of Hillsborough and surrounding communities have spoken. It is now up to the Mayor and Council to listen.

Thank You,

Frank Straz, EMT

Concerned Hillsborough Resident!

Image: Patch file photo

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