Manchester Council Names Emergency Services Director

MANCHESTER, NJ — Robert Baran has been named director of Manchester Township's emergency services, after the Township Council approved a resolution naming him to the role Monday night.

Baran has been director of the township's Emergency Medical Services since late 2019, and now will oversee the township's paid firefighters as well as its EMS, Mayor Ken Palmer said.

Baran was hired as the EMS director in December 2019 to assist the police department’s staff in preparing to launch Manchester Township Division of Emergency Medical Services. The paid EMS service marked its first anniversary at the beginning of March.

Palmer said the township now is working on a plan to have paid firefighters as well.

Baran started his career as an EMT more than 19 years ago and in 2008 became a New Jersey Mobile Intensive Care Paramedic for Jersey City Medical Center & Atlantic Mobile Health. Later he served as an EMS Operational Supervisor for Cooper University Hospital in Camden, the first paramedic program started in New Jersey in the last 20 years. At Cooper, Baran played a significant role in the program’s startup, developing both operational and clinical policies and provided operational oversight of both Advance Life Support Units and Basic Life Support Units.

Baran has a bachelor's degree in EMS leadership and administration from George Washington University, a master’s degree in public safety leadership and administration from Arizona State University, and is working on a doctorate of business administration from Walden University.

He also is a career firefighter and holds many certifications in technical rescue disciplines.

In addition to moving to paid firefighters, the township is preparing to equip them with a new fire truck and gear, as it had a first reading of an ordinance to spend $760,000 on a new truck and gear.

In addition to the fire truck, the council approved applying for a grant from the state to pay for body cameras for the township's police force. The cameras, mandated under a law passed earlier last year, are anticipated to cost about $204,000.

Gov. Phil Murphy signed a law in November requiring all uniformed officers to wear and use body cams while on duty; the state appropriated $57.8 million to pay for the cameras.

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