Lakewood Eliminating EMS?

[CompuDoc]

30 years ago the times were different. The squads mostly consisted of housewives who did not need a job. Today not only does the wife of a spouse need a job to survive but the requirements for a person to be on an EMS squad are a lot more than they were back then. What took a few hours of training back then takes at least 1000 hours now. This causes a person not to volunteer because between working and other factors in their life they do not have any time to spare for training. Even a volunteer firefighter is required to attend training for a lot more hours than when I became a firefighter in Middletown. When I went through basic training it was done in 2 weekends.

 

[scannersnstuff]

yup, i was on a vollie squad for 2 year's. not to mention, it was not like touching some of the skeezes & skells ya' got to touch now. also not to mention that you did not even carry glove's back then.only in the obstetrics kit.

 

[skierp20]

Time for an EMT Basic class is no where near 1000 hours. I got my Basic cert almost 15 years ago, and the requirements havent changed much in that time at all. Most of the training done by vollie squads in my experience has been done "on the job." The makeup of volunteers in NJ's vollie EMS has been changing for years. When i got out of the game almost 10 years ago, our daytime volunteers were made up of a few guys who worked overnights, and a few others who were currently out of work.

The cost has been going up exponentially for EMT classes, and even with the State's reimbursement program, people usually have to pay up front, and commit a certain amount of time of service to a Vollie Department without really knowing if they will enjoy it or not.

The pride isnt there anymore, and the commitment and desire to volunteer has certainly faded in today's society.

Regardless, the needs for a Paid service has been around for a long, long time in Lakewood. Its a very busy, taxing system. Years ago, Lakewood EMS was primary with SAS Backup. Scott Carter and the staff at Lakewood have put together an excellent service. I really feel that the Town is going down a bad road. It falls into the "if it aint broke don't fix it" category.

I'm in Massachusetts now, and with the exception of two local departments, every fire department is paid. Of those other two, one is fully volunteer and the other a combination career and vollie. I cringe at the thought of Lakewood having to go to a Paid fire service. If the town is in this much trouble financially, look out..

30 years ago the times were different. The squads mostly consisted of housewives who did not need a job. Today not only does the wife of a spouse need a job to survive but the requirements for a person to be on an EMS squad are a lot more than they were back then. What took a few hours of training back then takes at least 1000 hours now. This causes a person not to volunteer because between working and other factors in their life they do not have any time to spare for training. Even a volunteer firefighter is required to attend training for a lot more hours than when I became a firefighter in Middletown. When I went through basic training it was done in 2 weekends.

 

[902]

30 years ago the times were different. The squads mostly consisted of housewives who did not need a job. Today not only does the wife of a spouse need a job to survive but the requirements for a person to be on an EMS squad are a lot more than they were back then. What took a few hours of training back then takes at least 1000 hours now. This causes a person not to volunteer because between working and other factors in their life they do not have any time to spare for training. Even a volunteer firefighter is required to attend training for a lot more hours than when I became a firefighter in Middletown. When I went through basic training it was done in 2 weekends.

I was on a volley squad 30 years ago. It was a different time indeed! Back then, EMT training was just becoming popular and was being met with much resistance from the "5 Pointers" of the NJ State First Aid Council (anyone here besides Warren old enough to remember the blue and orange NJ EMT patches?). And, yes, most of the ambulance volunteers were housewives and students (I was the latter). The later 80s were a downturn in activity, as many of the volunteers moved away, got older to the point they weren't physically capable of taking calls, or were simply wrapped up in the economy of needing to take a job.

I also joined my town's fire department and stayed an active member for 15 years until I moved out chasing after a job. Sadly, skierp20, you're right, most of the FDs and nearly all of the EMS providers outside of the northeast (unless you are fairly rural and outside of a populated area) are paid and the only role for someone who already has a job or may be older is to put on a green hat and vest for CERT (I wouldn't be caught...).

Even if you could put in a duty night or go on volley fire calls between 6 PM and 6 AM, the demands of most employers in this "do more with less" world is less tolerant and the average employer would think nothing of canning an employee who is tired from working the car wreck on the Turnpike until 5 AM.

Anyway, pride is what you put into it. Now my kids want to take the EMT class. I don't know if I should be proud or be really angry. :lol:

 

[CompuDoc]

Time for an EMT Basic class is no where near 1000 hours. I got my Basic cert almost 15 years ago, and the requirements havent changed much in that time at all.

Although it does not mention the hours needed the requirements for a volunteer in New Jersey can be found in the link. Look at all the stuff a person has to do to become an ambulance attendant.

New Jersey State First Aid Council, providing BLS in NJ

Also a quote from the site about reimbursement by clicking the education link.

Effective April 1, 2010, the NJDOHSS will no longer reimburse for most elective CEU programs. Online CEU cousres through The Gold Cross will remain available free of charge. Please read the DOHSS letter for details. (3/5/2010)

 

[scannersnstuff]

another point. i think as most people get older,they just don't want to be bothered anymore. i felt a little more civic responsibility toward's the people that i grew up with. now i feel that most people don't even care enough to say thank you, when you provide a service to them <free of charge>. i actually just had a conversation with my friend and work partner. i asked him if there were any fire call's last night. i have a fire pager for my local fd. i sleep through most of the page's. i'm not an active member of the fd btw.

 

[skierp20]

You also missed this note: "All EMT training (both Basic initial training and Continuing Education) is free for volunteer members or prospective members of a volunteer ambulance corps or rescue squad in NJ through the EMT Training Fund. See your Squad Captain or President for signed forms."

Basically, what that link says about Ambulance Attendants is you need a Driver's License a CPR Card, a weekend CEVO Class and a First Responder Class. Just keep in mind these recommendations are coming from the NJSFAC too..

Its kinda contradictory but according to this link, EMT Training is still available for free.

Regardless, we are WAY off track here. The problems in Lakewood have nothing to do with Volunteerism at all. It has to do with the taking of Public Sector jobs, and cutting these great employees' pay for a guaranteed year of work. I would have told the township to go screw, personally, but lets face it: if you want to do emergency work at the BLS level in Ocean County, there arent many jobs at all.