MANCHESTER – Township Police are looking for more people to be a part of the community’s Emergency Medical Services crew which launched in March.
As the EMS falls under the jurisdiction of the Manchester Township Police, it is this department that is offering testing for the new EMS squad.
The purpose behind the test is to establish a hiring list for all EMS positions. The EMT Basic (EMT-B) responds to emergency calls to provide efficient and immediate care to the critically ill and injured.
They also transport the patient to a medical facility and following receiving a call from the dispatcher, the EMT-B drives the ambulance to the destination given, using the most expeditious route, depending on the traffic and weather conditions.
The EMT-B must observe traffic ordinances and regulations concerning emergency vehicle operations.
Requirements for this position include that applicants must be at least 21, must have a valid New Jersey driver’s license and must possess a current and valid Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Certification issued by the New Jersey Department of Health.
Other requirements include that applicants must present a
- Have a current and valid CPR Certification
- Possess a High School Diploma or education equivalent
- Ability to read, write and speak the English Language
- Ability to pass pre-employment written and physical testing, and skills assessment
- Ability to pass a comprehensive background check
- Have one year of experience as an EMT-B in a 911 based EMS Agency and Certifications in ICS 100, 200 or further.
Township Mayor Kenneth T. Palmer previously stated the township’s decision to implement a paid EMS service this year was due to “volunteerism across the country dwindling in numbers. Its effects are being felt in Manchester like never before.”
“On average, Manchester Township has 800 to 1,000 first aid calls per month. Due to the decline in membership, our volunteer First Aid Squads can no longer meet the high demand. Unfortunately, despite their best efforts, our volunteers’ coverage has been sporadic,” he said.
Palmer said that in January alone, there were 10 consecutive days with only a few calls answered by Manchester First Aid Squad and five consecutive days where they did not have a crew at all.
“When a call for first aid is made, the call goes to the County dispatchers and the protocol is to dispatch our volunteer first aid squads first. If the volunteer squads are not able to respond, the County dispatchers are tasked to contact the back-up service provider, Quality Medical Transport. Obviously, the multiple calls delay the response time, which delays the patient’s arrival to the hospital,” Palmer said.
The Manchester First Aid Squad was deactivated and the new EMS service went on-line in March. Palmer added that a transition process was not possible and the township, “needed to take this action to ensure our residents on the east side of town are afforded the fastest and most efficient response times.”
