Manchester Marks One Year Of Paid EMS Services

MANCHESTER, NJ — When Manchester Township officials decided the town needed to create a paid emergency medical services squad, they anticipated some challenges.

They never anticipated starting up in the middle of a pandemic.

That challenge and many others have been overcome, however, and township officials are branding the launch of the paid squad a resounding success that has met the needs it was designed to answer, with shorter response times and more consistency of care.

Since March 1, 2020, the Manchester Township Division of Emergency Medical Services has answered 10,774 calls for service.

"Under the leadership and direction of Capt. Robert Dolan and EMS Director Robert Baran, our dedicated staff of EMTs have proven to be an invaluable resource to the residents of Manchester Township," officials said.

It operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and the highly trained EMTs answered approximately 30 calls per day during the first year and had an average response time of just over 7 minutes, a number that significantly exceeds the national average.

Of the nearly 11,000 calls, 96 percent were answered by the township's EMS, while the others were handled by mutual aid partners, which happened only in rare instances when the town's ambulances and crews were tied up handling other emergency calls.

"Furthermore, in the spirit of service and cooperation, our staff was able to reciprocate and assist our neighboring towns in need over 100 times during our first year," officials said.

The success of the EMS division led to the need to replace aging ambulances and the township's recent purchase of the Whiting First Aid Squad building, which will be renovated to house not only EMS vehicles but also provide a second site for township residents to pay their property taxes, recreation fees and access other services on the Whiting side of the township.

The COVID-19 pandemic, which hit Manchester just eight days after the squad launched, led to the need for meticulous steps to ensure that ambulances and gear were cleaned and sanitized and that squad members had the needed safety equipment.

"Serving on the front line during a pandemic has certainly been a challenge for our EMTs; however, they continue to serve our community fearlessly," officials said.

The launch of the program has included starting a training program that included acquiring National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians and Emergency Care & Safety Institute Training Center designations.

"With this training, the Division of EMS is now able to carry some of the most advanced patient care technology available, including LUCAS CPR Chest Compression Systems, albuterol nebulizer treatments, advanced simulation manikins, and isolation chambers for suspected COVID-19 patients," officials said.

The “Project PPE” program led to a partnership between the EMS division and the community, including local businesses and civic organizations, to collect donations of masks and other PPE that are distributed to local hospitals and healthcare workers.

In the future, the town hopes to have the EMS squad hosting health and safety seminars to further build ties with the community.

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