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.....

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...

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....

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.....

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.

• Bridgeton News
• Daily Journal Leter to the Editor
• Atlantic City Press
• Video NBC 40

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:

1. To schedule a special meeting with DTEMS
2. Approve alternate EMS coverage (Lawrence Township)
3. Secure the DTEMS building for the purpose of conducting an inventory

Now, onto the FACTS!!!  If you listen to the NBC 40 news clip, you will hear Mayor Campbell make 2 very interesting comments:

1. "Last year they (DTEMS) were terrible!"
2. "They were missing 4 out of 10 calls." (Then states in the Bridgeton News the % missed is closer to 50%)

Lets put these comments into context.  IF, in fact, DTEMS was so terrible LAST year, as the Mayor claims, why did it:  a.) take the committee until April 1, 2013 to address the problem and b.) why did the committee pass Resolution R-08-2013??? This resolution designates DTEMS as the primary care providers for emergency medical service calls in Downe Township for 2013.  Next, the issue of missing 4 out of every 10 calls.  That means we had, in the Mayor's eyes, a 60% response rate and a 40% failed response rate.  If given the chance, I will PROVE that we responded to 84.47% of our calls and we failed to respond to (whether we were recalled prior to responding, already on a call, or we just didn't have the man power to respond) 15.52%.

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!!!