The Township committee voted tonight 3-2 in favor of severing ties with DTEMS. Apparently, there is a signed agreement in place with Millville Rescue to permanently take over as the emergency responder in Downe Township.
I'm sure in the next few days more information will become available to us. When this information is passed on I will post the details of the agreement with Millville Rescue and any other pertinant information.
Stay tuned!
Monday, June 10, 2013
Saturday, May 25, 2013
Special meeting
The Downe Township committee has scheduled a special Workshop meeting for Tuesday May 28, 2013 at 8pm. Meeting will be at the municipal building, 288 Main St, Newport, NJ, 08345.
The purpose of this meeting is specifically discuss Downe Township Emergency Medical Services. The notice at the municipal building states "action may or may not be taken."
We urge any and all available residents to attend.
The squad members have been working with committeewomen Wilford and Reynolds since the regular committee meeting in May to come to a solution and try and improve DTEMS. The squad feels that some progress has been made, however, the committee may not give us that chance.
Rest assured, the members WANT the squad to be reinstated. The residents NEED the squad reinstated.
Please attend and support the squad and its members.
The purpose of this meeting is specifically discuss Downe Township Emergency Medical Services. The notice at the municipal building states "action may or may not be taken."
We urge any and all available residents to attend.
The squad members have been working with committeewomen Wilford and Reynolds since the regular committee meeting in May to come to a solution and try and improve DTEMS. The squad feels that some progress has been made, however, the committee may not give us that chance.
Rest assured, the members WANT the squad to be reinstated. The residents NEED the squad reinstated.
Please attend and support the squad and its members.
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
All good things must come to an end
As of June 14, 2013 Lawrence Township will no longer provide PRIMARY emergency medical services to Downe Township (see resolution below). This resolution was passed on May 13, 2013 with a vote of 3-0.
Lawrence Township (the committee and Chief Scarlotto) has stated they will, without a doubt, continue to provide mutual aid to DTEMS whenever necessary.
The members of DTEMS are working diligently with a township subcommittee to rectify the response issues.
The next Downe Township Committee meeting is scheduled for June 3, 2013 at 7pm. DTEMS needs the same support that was shown from the residents at the May meeting at the June meeting. The proverbial "ball" will be in the committee's court on June 3.
Lawrence Township (the committee and Chief Scarlotto) has stated they will, without a doubt, continue to provide mutual aid to DTEMS whenever necessary.
The members of DTEMS are working diligently with a township subcommittee to rectify the response issues.
The next Downe Township Committee meeting is scheduled for June 3, 2013 at 7pm. DTEMS needs the same support that was shown from the residents at the May meeting at the June meeting. The proverbial "ball" will be in the committee's court on June 3.
Thank you!
First, I would like to personally thank Lawrence Township. I want to thank the committee, Mayor Bowman, Deputy Mayor Sheppard and committeman Miletta for their commitment to the health and welfare of the residents of Downe Township. I want to thank Chief Kevin Scarlotto for his continued support and willingness to help DTEMS in a time of need. Lastly, I want to thank the residents of Lawrence Township for their understanding during the last month and a half.
I want to tell everyone, as long as DTEMS gets/has the full support of the Downe Township committee, DTEMS will emerge from this even stronger then when this ordeal began!!!
Thursday, May 9, 2013
How EMS works in Downe Township
When you call for an ambulance in Downe Township, you may get more than you bargained for. Along with an ambulance, you may be greeted by first responders from the local fire department, police, and, depending on the type of emergency, paramedics. This may sound like overkill, but the above mentioned responders provide different, yet essential medical attention. Below, I will attempt to explain what each responder does and how crucial their response is to your emergency.
First, I will explain the process in which the responders are notified and the chain of events that follow. When you call 911, you are immediately asked, "911, where is your emergency?" The answer to this question will set into motion the events leading up to your local volunteers being notified of your emergency. Once the 911 operator verifies your address and type of emergency, your call for service is entered into the computer. Another operator takes this information and dispatches the required emergency responders to your location. This is known as the initial dispatch. During the initial dispatch, you (the caller) may still be on the phone with the 911 operator. The operator is gather additional pertinent information, as well as providing pre-arrival instructions. If the dispatched responders do not respond 5 minutes after the initial dispatch, another dispatch takes place (second dispatch). If still, after 7 minutes a responder has not responded, a third dispatch is sent, along with an initial dispatch for mutual aid. All volunteer agencies, fire or EMS, have mutual aid agreements with neighboring agencies. A mutual aid agreement is basically a back-up plan in case the primary provider can not/did not respond. In Downe, our EMS mutual aid agreement is with Lawrence Township. If after 7 minutes from the initial dispatch the ambulance from Downe has not responded (due to lack of manpower), an ambulance from Lawrence Township is dispatched. If the ambulance from Downe is out of service for mechanical reasons or already on an emergency call, Lawrence Township is dispatched on the initial dispatch.
The role of the first responder is critical. A first responder is CPR certified, and trained in automated external defibrillator usage, spinal and bone fracture immobilization, oxygen administration and, in some cases, emergency childbirth as well as advanced first aid. A first responder is second link (the 911 dispatcher being the first) in the emergency services chain. Some first responders are certified EMTs, paramedics, RNs, or even doctors. The first responder initiates hands on care and prepares the patient for the arrival of the ambulance and transport to the hospital. If the ambulance takes 5 minutes to respond and then 8 additional minutes to drive to your house, the first responders are capable of providing care until the ambulance arrives.
When the ambulance arrives, so has the third link in the emergency services chain. The ambulance is staffed with a minimum of one certified EMT, and of course a driver. An EMT is trained in the same skills as first responders, with more hours of training to obtain their certification. In addition to those skills, an EMT may assist a patient in taking nitroglycerin (for chest pain), assist a patient in utilizing their inhaler (for asthma and other respiratory diseases) and administering an EPI-pen (for severe allergic reactions). The public needs to know that the EMTs in Downe are volunteer. Meaning, that unless a crew is, coincidentally, at the building, the ambulance doesn't respond immediately, if it responds at all. The volunteers must respond from their homes to the squad building to get the ambulance. This takes time, as all responding volunteers and even ambulances transporting patients to the ER are subject to the same motor vehicle laws as every other vehicle on the road. Just because an ambulance has flashing lights and whaling sirens doesn't mean driving 80 mph to the ER.
After calling 911, you may or may not see the fourth link of the chain, depending on the situation. The paramedics are dispatched to emergencies that may require advanced interventions. These interventions include inserting an IV, securing an airway with a breathing tube, administering medication and monitioring our heart rate with a heart monitior. Chances are if your being transported to the hospital from Downe Township, the paramedics will be met on the side of the road during transport.
Rest assured, there is an ambulance coming to your house if you call 911. Time seems to stand still when waiting for the ambulance. 5 minutes can feel like 50 minutes!!! The ambulance may not say Downe Township EMS on the side of it, but an ambulance will be there. There are plans in place to account for instances when DTEMS is unable to respond an ambulance. There are plans in place to account for instances when LTEMS is unable to provide an ambulance due to thier own emergencies.
The bottom line is mutual aid agreements are in place to make sure an ambulance will be there to pick you or a loved one up. And in the mean time while waiting for an ambulance, the first responders are more than capable to bridge to gap between the 911 call and the arrival of the ambulance.
First, I will explain the process in which the responders are notified and the chain of events that follow. When you call 911, you are immediately asked, "911, where is your emergency?" The answer to this question will set into motion the events leading up to your local volunteers being notified of your emergency. Once the 911 operator verifies your address and type of emergency, your call for service is entered into the computer. Another operator takes this information and dispatches the required emergency responders to your location. This is known as the initial dispatch. During the initial dispatch, you (the caller) may still be on the phone with the 911 operator. The operator is gather additional pertinent information, as well as providing pre-arrival instructions. If the dispatched responders do not respond 5 minutes after the initial dispatch, another dispatch takes place (second dispatch). If still, after 7 minutes a responder has not responded, a third dispatch is sent, along with an initial dispatch for mutual aid. All volunteer agencies, fire or EMS, have mutual aid agreements with neighboring agencies. A mutual aid agreement is basically a back-up plan in case the primary provider can not/did not respond. In Downe, our EMS mutual aid agreement is with Lawrence Township. If after 7 minutes from the initial dispatch the ambulance from Downe has not responded (due to lack of manpower), an ambulance from Lawrence Township is dispatched. If the ambulance from Downe is out of service for mechanical reasons or already on an emergency call, Lawrence Township is dispatched on the initial dispatch.
The role of the first responder is critical. A first responder is CPR certified, and trained in automated external defibrillator usage, spinal and bone fracture immobilization, oxygen administration and, in some cases, emergency childbirth as well as advanced first aid. A first responder is second link (the 911 dispatcher being the first) in the emergency services chain. Some first responders are certified EMTs, paramedics, RNs, or even doctors. The first responder initiates hands on care and prepares the patient for the arrival of the ambulance and transport to the hospital. If the ambulance takes 5 minutes to respond and then 8 additional minutes to drive to your house, the first responders are capable of providing care until the ambulance arrives.
When the ambulance arrives, so has the third link in the emergency services chain. The ambulance is staffed with a minimum of one certified EMT, and of course a driver. An EMT is trained in the same skills as first responders, with more hours of training to obtain their certification. In addition to those skills, an EMT may assist a patient in taking nitroglycerin (for chest pain), assist a patient in utilizing their inhaler (for asthma and other respiratory diseases) and administering an EPI-pen (for severe allergic reactions). The public needs to know that the EMTs in Downe are volunteer. Meaning, that unless a crew is, coincidentally, at the building, the ambulance doesn't respond immediately, if it responds at all. The volunteers must respond from their homes to the squad building to get the ambulance. This takes time, as all responding volunteers and even ambulances transporting patients to the ER are subject to the same motor vehicle laws as every other vehicle on the road. Just because an ambulance has flashing lights and whaling sirens doesn't mean driving 80 mph to the ER.
After calling 911, you may or may not see the fourth link of the chain, depending on the situation. The paramedics are dispatched to emergencies that may require advanced interventions. These interventions include inserting an IV, securing an airway with a breathing tube, administering medication and monitioring our heart rate with a heart monitior. Chances are if your being transported to the hospital from Downe Township, the paramedics will be met on the side of the road during transport.
Rest assured, there is an ambulance coming to your house if you call 911. Time seems to stand still when waiting for the ambulance. 5 minutes can feel like 50 minutes!!! The ambulance may not say Downe Township EMS on the side of it, but an ambulance will be there. There are plans in place to account for instances when DTEMS is unable to respond an ambulance. There are plans in place to account for instances when LTEMS is unable to provide an ambulance due to thier own emergencies.
The bottom line is mutual aid agreements are in place to make sure an ambulance will be there to pick you or a loved one up. And in the mean time while waiting for an ambulance, the first responders are more than capable to bridge to gap between the 911 call and the arrival of the ambulance.
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
In regards to comments...
The purpose of this blog was to be informative and factual. The blogs have been just that. The comments on the other hand are a different story. Some comments have been false and down right ignorant. This is not/was not the purpose of this blog!!! You can still post a comment as you wish, but it is requested that you keep your comments professional and civil!!!
Thank you!!!
I will remind you of what I'm sure you all heard from your parents or grandparents: If you don't have anything nice to say, then don't say anything at all.
Thank you!!!
I will remind you of what I'm sure you all heard from your parents or grandparents: If you don't have anything nice to say, then don't say anything at all.
The results are in....
After roughly 3 hours of deliberation the Downe Township committee voted on the following 3 resolutions:
ENTER MONKEY WRENCH!!!
Then the fact was brought up that Mr. Cook should not be able to vote, due to him being a member of DTEMS. Mr. Carr, the township solicitor, stated that if the question has to be asked about a conflict, then one more than likely existed and that Mr. Cook should abstain from voting.
The committee discussed, publically, what they should do, as it pertained to the resolutions. Then an official motion was made to table (postpone) the resolutions until next month...with no second motion. Some more discussion amongst the committee took place regarding what should happen next. A couple committee members were set on postponing the vote, while a couple of committee members wanted to vote right then and there.
Finally, the vote took place, and much to the dismay of a couple committee members, the vote ended deadlocked at 2, with 1 abstetion. Wilford and Reynolds voted against the resolutions. Bart and Campbell voted for the resolutions. Cook had to abstain.
In the end, the situation is status quo. Squad 36 still is not responding to emergency calls in Downe Township, however the township did not sever relations with Squad 36, much to the obvious dismay of a couple committee members! Squad 38 is still handling this obligation.
As the Chief of the squad I want to say THANK YOU!!! Thank you to all the residents that attended the meeting! Thank you to all the residents that voiced their support for the squad and their displeasure towards the committee. Your support ultimately made the vote on the above resolutions a tie. Your voice was heard LOUD and CLEAR, and helped, at least one person, vote to keep things the same. By keeping things status quo, this does not rule out the reopening of YOUR rescue squad. We still have an uphill battle, but it is not as steep.
We, the squad, have some work to do to see this thing through. Rest assured, we will do what we need to do to, until the next meeting. We will, more than likely, face the same opposition at the next meeting on June 3, 2013. The same 3 resolutions will, more than likely, be on the agenda...AGAIN!!! We NEED the same support at this meeting that we had last night. YOUR voice needs to be heard!!!
Again, THANK YOU for your support.
And a big THANK YOU to Christine Wilford and Tammy Reynolds for your support. The committee, as a whole, can SAY they support DTEMS, but with your votes, your support was SEEN!!! And actions speak louder than words!!!
We will keep you posted....
- R-54-2013 - Severing relations with Downe Township Emergency Mecial Services, Inc.
- R-55-2013 - Rescinding resolution R-08-2013 and designating a first responder for Downe Township for emergency medical services for the remainder of 2013. (R-08-2013 designated Downe Township Emergency Medical Services, Inc. as the primary care provider for emergency medical service calls within Downe Township)
- R-56-2013 - Approval to seek cooperation with Downe Township Emergency Medical Services, Inc. and the USDA for purposes of seeking a novation of a loan on the 2007 ambulance owned by Downe Township Emergency Medical Services, Inc.
ENTER MONKEY WRENCH!!!
Then the fact was brought up that Mr. Cook should not be able to vote, due to him being a member of DTEMS. Mr. Carr, the township solicitor, stated that if the question has to be asked about a conflict, then one more than likely existed and that Mr. Cook should abstain from voting.
The committee discussed, publically, what they should do, as it pertained to the resolutions. Then an official motion was made to table (postpone) the resolutions until next month...with no second motion. Some more discussion amongst the committee took place regarding what should happen next. A couple committee members were set on postponing the vote, while a couple of committee members wanted to vote right then and there.
Finally, the vote took place, and much to the dismay of a couple committee members, the vote ended deadlocked at 2, with 1 abstetion. Wilford and Reynolds voted against the resolutions. Bart and Campbell voted for the resolutions. Cook had to abstain.
In the end, the situation is status quo. Squad 36 still is not responding to emergency calls in Downe Township, however the township did not sever relations with Squad 36, much to the obvious dismay of a couple committee members! Squad 38 is still handling this obligation.
As the Chief of the squad I want to say THANK YOU!!! Thank you to all the residents that attended the meeting! Thank you to all the residents that voiced their support for the squad and their displeasure towards the committee. Your support ultimately made the vote on the above resolutions a tie. Your voice was heard LOUD and CLEAR, and helped, at least one person, vote to keep things the same. By keeping things status quo, this does not rule out the reopening of YOUR rescue squad. We still have an uphill battle, but it is not as steep.
We, the squad, have some work to do to see this thing through. Rest assured, we will do what we need to do to, until the next meeting. We will, more than likely, face the same opposition at the next meeting on June 3, 2013. The same 3 resolutions will, more than likely, be on the agenda...AGAIN!!! We NEED the same support at this meeting that we had last night. YOUR voice needs to be heard!!!
Again, THANK YOU for your support.
And a big THANK YOU to Christine Wilford and Tammy Reynolds for your support. The committee, as a whole, can SAY they support DTEMS, but with your votes, your support was SEEN!!! And actions speak louder than words!!!
We will keep you posted....
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