Millstoner favors change in emergency response services

Good day, Millstone, I am your neighbor. Like you, I rise each morning and head to work for a long day and listen to the radio along the way. However, different from most, my time is spent monitoring Monmouth County Emergency Fire/Emergency dispatches while I pull into fire headquarters. Until my day ends, I manage one of Monmouth County's largest career fire and emergency services divisions, including emergency medical ambulance services and medical first responder fire apparatus. For 32 years, 17 of which I spent as chief of department, this has been "my business" and I know it and do it very well.

Moving to Millstone three years ago, I chose to live in a premium community with a rural touch. I relocated from Lakewood after 28 years and having served in my community as a volunteer firefighter for equally as long. Early one morning as I readied the car to take my wife to therapy, I came back into the house only to find her in medical distress on the floor, breathing but unresponsive. With my radio at hand I contacted Monmouth County's 911 Center directly requesting first aid and paramedics. If you have never experienced the urgent need for emergency services of any type, you cannot imagine the anticipation of help arriving. While calculating time for responders to retrieve the ambulance and travel the distance, time seems to slow to a crawl.

However, within a few short minutes of my call for help, I heard voices coming down the hallway. They were firefighters from the station down the road who identified themselves as firefighter/emergency medical technicians (EMTs) as they went to work evaluating and treating my wife. The fire lieutenant explained they heard my radio call and responded out of professional courtesy. He explained that they normally are not authorized to respond to medical calls even though they are certified EMTs and carry all the required first responder medical equipment onboard their fire apparatus. In time, the first aid squad and paramedics arrived and all worked in conjunction as professionals and gave excellent care. However, I did note that upon the first aid squad's arrival that the fire lieutenant gave a quick explanation as to why they were there as if a complaint would be lodged if he had not.

During a later visit to the fire station, I discovered that Millstone has a paid crew on duty 12 hours a day, seven days a week augmenting the volunteers. These firefighter/EMTs are trained and ready to respond to any and all needs, even as a first responder medical unit to assist the public and first aid squad. The firefighters explained their willingness to do so, but also a list of roadblocks encountered politically involving the fire commissioners and the first aid squad preventing any change in their desired expansion of services to the community.

Without getting into issues with regard to response time, delays, home rule of agencies, protecting their own turf, elected officials, or fearing to take on the challenge of change, I can tell you, neighbor that our emergency services system is in need of change.

My quest for change began well over a year and half ago with inquiries to the Board of Fire Commissioners as to why a fire department emergency medical first responder program was not being initiated. I was given some polite explanations and was pointed in the direction of the township mayor and committee. At a township meeting, I stated my issues before the mayor and was told that the committee would look into them. At a later date, I was informed that a committeeman had been appointed by the mayor as a liaison to the fire department and first aid squad who would act as a broker to initiate change in a joint response program. With that in place, I was satisfied at the time that change would be forthcoming.

As time continued, I was informed that little was being accomplished and it was doubtful that any change would happen. During this same time period, the Examiner ran an article relating to these stated issues. Along with others, I had the opportunity to weigh in with comment, but that, too, fell short of officials making any change.

I never met Frank Malanga until recently when we crossed paths at the local Board of Fire Commissioners meeting. His letters certainly hit the mark and have elevated this issue back into the public forum. I have written several letters to the mayor's office on this issue as well. The mayor's only response was a short reply stating that she was informed that the issues were going to be worked out at the next Board of Fire Commissioners meeting and she hoped this would solve the problem. My response back to the mayor was, "In my line of work, hope is not a method." My third letter to the mayor, as did my first, went unanswered.

I attended that meeting, but the resolve offered by the first aid squad was to have the fire department respond as a first responder unit in the event of a patient being unresponsive. A progressive step in the right direction, and I applaud them for that, but this is far short of what really needs to take place. I wish not to duplicate Mr. Malanga's letters, his explanations and examples of how emergency services should respond and do so jointly across the country. I can and will defend him on his call for change.

My professional observation is dismay for the lack of attention by our elected officials to this issue. Do they think this issue is self-correcting or will dissolve in time? This is an issue that involves the mayor and committee, the Board of Fire Commissioners and emergency services leaders. Each should come together monthly at one table to evaluate the needs of Millstone's public safety. Each should conduct quarterly emergency services self-assessment evaluations. This alone would reveal shortfalls and identify areas where response times and manpower may need some attention and corrections.

The township should have a professional risk assessment conducted by a qualified risk assessment analysis team. These companies provide a detailed picture of the community's emergency services, giving the community a baseline to plan and improve services to national standards. In most cases, improvements lower homeowners' insurance cost while providing improved services. As a matter for record, improved services does not mean raising taxes or readjusting and changing the way we operate as an emergency services organization team collectively. In Millstone's case, with the combination of volunteer and career personnel established already in both the fire and EMS departments, we are ahead of the curve for improved services. That is, if the adjustments are made.

To the mayor's office I will address why only have career firefighters come forth to raise this issue. I answer because it is "my business" and who better to identify this problem.

John C. Erichsen

Millstone