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....
Monday, May 6, 2013
Come one...come all!!!
Tonight is the night for disgruntled residents to confront the mayor and township committee regarding the closing of DTEMS! 7pm at the municipal building, 288 Main St., Newport, NJ 08345.
According to the agenda there will be 3 public comment sections. One public comment session will deal directly with the 3 resolutions that were posted on the previous blog. There will also be a general public comment section after all the committee business is complete. The residents of Downe Township NEED to be heard on this topic.
And a quote for you to think about. "Volunteers aren't paid because they are worthless, but because they are priceless."
According to the agenda there will be 3 public comment sections. One public comment session will deal directly with the 3 resolutions that were posted on the previous blog. There will also be a general public comment section after all the committee business is complete. The residents of Downe Township NEED to be heard on this topic.
And a quote for you to think about. "Volunteers aren't paid because they are worthless, but because they are priceless."
Saturday, May 4, 2013
Mayor's letter to the editor
Here you will find Mayor Campbell's letter to the Daily Journal in reference to the reasoning behind severing relations with DTEMS.
Once again, the mayor is justifying the decision of the committee with partial facts and untruths. Lets take a look at the letter and decipher fact from the untruths.
Once again, the mayor is justifying the decision of the committee with partial facts and untruths. Lets take a look at the letter and decipher fact from the untruths.
- First, the mayor states the committee has been evaluating the performance of DTEMS over the past few years. If this is the case, why has it taken the committee this long to act on the "continued concern over missed calls, the lack of proper screening of the volunteers, and rescue services performed by unauthorized personnel?" Its no secret the response percentage for DTEMS has been less than 100%. But on the same hand it hasn't been 70%-80%, like the mayor states.
- Back to the "rescue services performed by unauthorized personnel." The members of DTEMS are trained, either as state certified EMTs or are CPR certified and trained as drivers. The mayor needs to provide proof of "unauthorized personnel" before he claims someone to be "unauthorized."
- The mindset that 70%-80% is acceptable is also false. Although the response rate is 80%-90%, the members strive for 100%. However, given that we are a small group of VOLUNTEERS, 100% is nearly impossible. I know people will say, like the mayor stated in his letter, LTEMS has responded to 100% of thier calls. My answers to that are: 1) they have a larger contingent of volunteers 2) they have 100% support from their local fire department and 3) they have 100% support from their township committee. DTEMS has 2 members that belong to the local fire departments. Our local fire departments provide first aid service to patients prior to the arrival of the ambulance. One department will periodically provide a driver, if needed, while the other department will provide NO support, other than to render care prior to the ambulance arrival. For the most part, when the ambulance fails to respond, its because we lack a driver. If we had more support from our fire departments (ie: providing a driver, when asked) our response rate would be considerably higher, but first responders have the "mindset" that they only need to provide first aid!
- LTEMS has graciously and professionally handled all the calls (except 1) for service in Downe since April 2, 2013. So, again, the mayor doesn't have ALL the facts. Granted, LTEMS was on an accident with both of their ambulances, but ALL of the calls in Downe haven't been handled by LTEMS.
- If, the mayor and committee are in fact doing this "strictly in the best interest of the health and public safety," then like I stated earlier, WHY has it taken this long??? The squad, as the mayor previously stated, has "historically poor" response rate. So much for this decision to be "strictly in the best interest of the health and public safety!"
Friday, May 3, 2013
The end of Downe Township Emergency Medical Services, Inc???
The agenda for the regular township meeting scheduled for May 6, 2013 has been posted. The township committee is prepared to discuss the following 3 resolutions as it relates to DTEMS:
The residents need to be heard!!! This is an assumption of mine, but I assume the "first responder" that the township designates will NOT come cheap. My bet would be the cost is greater than the $5,000 the township allotted DTEMS.
The final resolution listed above (R-56-2013) basically says the township wants the cooperation of DTEMS and the USDA in transferring the terms of the loan to another entity.
Anyone planning to attending this meeting...bring a Snickers. It looks like it may be a LONG night!
- 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.
The residents need to be heard!!! This is an assumption of mine, but I assume the "first responder" that the township designates will NOT come cheap. My bet would be the cost is greater than the $5,000 the township allotted DTEMS.
The final resolution listed above (R-56-2013) basically says the township wants the cooperation of DTEMS and the USDA in transferring the terms of the loan to another entity.
Anyone planning to attending this meeting...bring a Snickers. It looks like it may be a LONG night!
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Come out, come out wherever you are!!!
Since the Downe Township Committe wants to bring up being stood up at a meeting.....
It was passed, in a resolution, at the April 1, 2013 committee meeting to "shut the squad down," and to have a meeting with the squad on April 22, 2013 @ 1830. Well, ladies and gentlemen, April 22, 2013 @ 1830 came and went...with NO meeting!!! In fact, NO one from the committee showed up!!! Now, we (the squad) were told that there would be no meeting. But my question is, how can the committee resolve to have a meeting, then just NOT have the meeting??? They resolved to "shut the squad down," and they surely happened, but NO meeting!!!
I'm curious to know what else the committee resolves to do, then doesn't do, for whatever reason. These are the people that we have running our township and spending our tax dollars. Something smells fishy in this township, and I don't think it has anything to do with Fortescue being the "weakfish capital of the world!"
You want my opinion, I think the majority of the committe is laying in the grass, like a snake. They are laying in the grass, waiting for their predator (the squad), to pass before they lift their head and return to the public view!!!
Well, I have news for those snakes. Keep waiting for us to pass!!! We will not go away without being heard!!!
More to come.....
It was passed, in a resolution, at the April 1, 2013 committee meeting to "shut the squad down," and to have a meeting with the squad on April 22, 2013 @ 1830. Well, ladies and gentlemen, April 22, 2013 @ 1830 came and went...with NO meeting!!! In fact, NO one from the committee showed up!!! Now, we (the squad) were told that there would be no meeting. But my question is, how can the committee resolve to have a meeting, then just NOT have the meeting??? They resolved to "shut the squad down," and they surely happened, but NO meeting!!!
I'm curious to know what else the committee resolves to do, then doesn't do, for whatever reason. These are the people that we have running our township and spending our tax dollars. Something smells fishy in this township, and I don't think it has anything to do with Fortescue being the "weakfish capital of the world!"
You want my opinion, I think the majority of the committe is laying in the grass, like a snake. They are laying in the grass, waiting for their predator (the squad), to pass before they lift their head and return to the public view!!!
Well, I have news for those snakes. Keep waiting for us to pass!!! We will not go away without being heard!!!
More to come.....
Monday, April 15, 2013
Where oh where will my ambulance be.....(coming from???)
Before they get lost in the shuffle, I want to personally thank Squad 38 and all their members for their "mutual aid" during this time. Squad 38 has been nothing short of professional during this fiasco. I want to reassure the residents of Downe Township, Squad 38 (and the other squads mentioned below) are VERY good at what they do!!! There should be NO patient care issues as far as the residents are concerned. Rest easy knowing you will be in good hands.
I was recently made aware of the response procedure in place for Squad 38 responding to emergency calls in Downe Township. For initial emergency calls (1st ambulance) in Downe Twp., Squad 38 will be responding. For 2nd ambulance calls in Newport, Fortescue, or any barrier islands the ambulance will be dispatched from Fairton. In the event Fairton doesn't respond, the ambulance will be dispatched from Millville. For 2nd ambulance calls in Dividing Creek the ambulance will be dispatched from Millville. In the evet Millville doesn't respond, than ambulance will be dispatched from Laurel Lake. These procedures DO NOT factor in Squad 38 being on their own calls, taking care of their own residents!
It is also worth noting, Fairton (5a-5p) and Millville (24 hours/day) are PAID ambulance services!!! This means, not only will the response from them be delayed due to the distance they are travelling, but if your insurance company (if you have insurance) doesn't cover the amount of the transport, that YOU, the resident of Downe Township, who has an ambulance sitting in a locked building, will be billed for the balance of the transport.
Until next time...
I was recently made aware of the response procedure in place for Squad 38 responding to emergency calls in Downe Township. For initial emergency calls (1st ambulance) in Downe Twp., Squad 38 will be responding. For 2nd ambulance calls in Newport, Fortescue, or any barrier islands the ambulance will be dispatched from Fairton. In the event Fairton doesn't respond, the ambulance will be dispatched from Millville. For 2nd ambulance calls in Dividing Creek the ambulance will be dispatched from Millville. In the evet Millville doesn't respond, than ambulance will be dispatched from Laurel Lake. These procedures DO NOT factor in Squad 38 being on their own calls, taking care of their own residents!
It is also worth noting, Fairton (5a-5p) and Millville (24 hours/day) are PAID ambulance services!!! This means, not only will the response from them be delayed due to the distance they are travelling, but if your insurance company (if you have insurance) doesn't cover the amount of the transport, that YOU, the resident of Downe Township, who has an ambulance sitting in a locked building, will be billed for the balance of the transport.
Until next time...
Thursday, April 11, 2013
To be...or not to be.....
That is the question.
In speaking with the Mayor recently to try and get some answers to rumors that I had heard, he made me aware that there was NOT going to be a meeting scheduled for April 22, 2013 as previously stated. The Mayor advised me on April 1, when I called him to question him about the rescue squad rumors (he didn't call me....I had to call him! Let me say that again....I HAD TO CALL HIM!!!!) that there was going to be a meeting scheduled, for the squad to attend, on April 22, 2013. Now, the Mayor also stated that Mrs. Reynolds was going to be in contact with me on Tuesday April 2 to further discuss what transpired at Monday night's meeting (and I have YET to hear from her. I even called her...left a voicemail...and no return phone call)
The committee even went so far as to list this meeting (April 22, 2013 @ 6:30p) in the resolution they passed effectively ceasing the squad's operation. Some committee we have in Downe Twp., they can't even keep their word!!!
So, for now we wait and see if the meeting gets advertised in the newspaper...then mysteriously cancelled!!! If the meeting is cancelled...or never even scheduled remains to be seen!
Will keep you posted....
In speaking with the Mayor recently to try and get some answers to rumors that I had heard, he made me aware that there was NOT going to be a meeting scheduled for April 22, 2013 as previously stated. The Mayor advised me on April 1, when I called him to question him about the rescue squad rumors (he didn't call me....I had to call him! Let me say that again....I HAD TO CALL HIM!!!!) that there was going to be a meeting scheduled, for the squad to attend, on April 22, 2013. Now, the Mayor also stated that Mrs. Reynolds was going to be in contact with me on Tuesday April 2 to further discuss what transpired at Monday night's meeting (and I have YET to hear from her. I even called her...left a voicemail...and no return phone call)
The committee even went so far as to list this meeting (April 22, 2013 @ 6:30p) in the resolution they passed effectively ceasing the squad's operation. Some committee we have in Downe Twp., they can't even keep their word!!!
So, for now we wait and see if the meeting gets advertised in the newspaper...then mysteriously cancelled!!! If the meeting is cancelled...or never even scheduled remains to be seen!
Will keep you posted....
Sunday, April 7, 2013
No news is....good news???
An updated news article has been posted on The Bridgeton News. The article basically says the situation is status quo. But the Mayor is now stating the squad had a "number of qualified members quit in recent weeks." I have 2 things to say about that quote. First, the squad had 1 person resign within the last month. The only part of the quote that is accurate is the qualification of that member. The member, not members as the Mayor states, was a major asset to the squad being a qualified and dependable driver! Second, the more stories I read or see, it seems to me the squad is being painted as the enemy. So to that I say, "if your not going to be part of the solution, quit making the damn problem worse!"
Until next time.....
Until next time.....
Downe Township EMS...on lock down!
Recently, the Downe Township Emergency Medical Services, Inc. (DTEMS) was effectively shut down by the township committee. This story has received substantial press since news broke Monday (4/1) night.
There was also an interview done with Dave Schratwieser from FOX 29, however I cannot find that video on their site. The site is www.MyFoxPhilly.com, and if you find the video in question, send me the link and I will be sure to post it here.
To keep the story simple, the township committee is citing "complaints" they have receieved about/against DTEMS and what Mayor Campbell is calling a "history of poor response times," as the reasons to lock the doors of the squad. The committee went into executive session Monday (4/1) night and discussed a resolution to effectively shut the squad down. Then, once the meeting went public again, the committee voted on and passed Resolution R-45-2013.
In short, the resolution accomplishes the following things:
To contact Mayor Bob Campbell email rgc4downe@comcast.net
Thank you for all the support!!!
Fellow citizens the numbers, unlike the Mayor, don't lie!!!
There was also an interview done with Dave Schratwieser from FOX 29, however I cannot find that video on their site. The site is www.MyFoxPhilly.com, and if you find the video in question, send me the link and I will be sure to post it here.
To keep the story simple, the township committee is citing "complaints" they have receieved about/against DTEMS and what Mayor Campbell is calling a "history of poor response times," as the reasons to lock the doors of the squad. The committee went into executive session Monday (4/1) night and discussed a resolution to effectively shut the squad down. Then, once the meeting went public again, the committee voted on and passed Resolution R-45-2013.
In short, the resolution accomplishes the following things:
- To schedule a special meeting with DTEMS
- Approve alternate EMS coverage (Lawrence Township)
- Secure the DTEMS building for the purpose of conducting an inventory
- "Last year they (DTEMS) were terrible!"
- "They were missing 4 out of 10 calls." (Then states in the Bridgeton News the % missed is closer to 50%)
To contact Mayor Bob Campbell email rgc4downe@comcast.net
Thank you for all the support!!!
Fellow citizens the numbers, unlike the Mayor, don't lie!!!
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