ALLENTOWN – The new year will bring a change in emergency medical responses in Allentown: the Robert Wood Johnson Health Network Inc. will provide basic life support ambulance services during the day.
The Allentown First Aid Squad will continue to provide basic life support ambulance services during the night.
In December, Allentown Borough Council members approved an agreement with Robert Wood Johnson Health Network for basic life support ambulance services.
The health network will supplement the efforts of the first aid squad, which provides emergency medical services in Allentown and Upper Freehold Township. The first aid squad is staffed by volunteer members and paid per diem employees.
A resolution passed by the council states that Allentown officials recognize the need to provide basic life support ambulance services in the community to preserve the safety and welfare of citizens; the borough seeks to ensure the continued provision of basic life support ambulance services for the benefit of the borough’s citizens; the borough has been working with the first aid squad and the Robert Wood Johnson Health Network to ensure the provision of basic life support ambulance services to Allentown on a 24-hour basis beginning Jan. 2 and beyond; and the health network has proposed an agreement, to potentially include Upper Freehold Township, in which the first aid squad would continue to provide nighttime coverage and the Robert Wood Johnson Health Network would provide daytime coverage at no cost to the borough.
Given that set of circumstances, council members found the proposed agreement with the health network “will preserve the safety and welfare of our citizens while encouraging the growth and development of our volunteer first aid squad” and they approved the agreement with the health network for basic life support ambulance services, regardless of whether the agreement ultimately includes Upper Freehold Township.
At the same time, the council confirmed it will continue to provide financial support to the Allentown First Aid Squad during 2019. The borough “makes an annual contribution to the first aid squad because it values the performance of these services by a volunteer emergency medical squad in our community,” according to a resolution.
The 2019 contribution to the first aid squad will be $22,560, to be paid in quarterly installments if the squad can provide coverage of emergency medical services to Allentown between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. daily, seven days a week, from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, and if monthly progress reports are given to the Borough Council starting Jan. 1 and continuing to Dec. 31.
The reports are to be given to the municipal clerk prior to the second council meeting of each month and someone from the first aid squad should attend the council meeting to give the report and answer questions, according to the resolution.
Councilman Rob Schmitt said it was “a good job by the mayor and council” to continue to support the first aid squad.
Regarding the new agreement with the Robert Wood Johnson Health Network for daytime ambulance services, council President Thomas Fritts said, “We wanted to maintain the rich history of our first aid squad and the squad wanted to maintain that history. (The squad is) back in the same situation they were in … their finances are worse.”
Fritts said the situation is expected to improve following the agreement with the Robert Wood Johnson Health Network, which he said will offer additional training to the first aid squad members.
“We are excited to maintain the Allentown First Aid Squad. … we want to try and get people to volunteer and maintain their history.”
During public comment, Wil Borkowski, a former councilman, said the first aid squad has not been attracting new members and he said current members are getting older. Borkowski said Robert Wood Johnson would assist with administrative tasks.
“The squad members were worried about the squad’s administration and not about helping people,” Borkowski said. “With Robert Wood Johnson, the Allentown First Aid Squad will reduce its administrative time.”
