Pennington First Aid Squad issues call for members

Squad member Julie Aberger: "We’re facing a crisis in membership and will be doing a full-fledged recruitment drive."

By John Tredrea
   The all-volunteer Pennington First Aid Squad urgently needs new members, a longtime squad member told the Pennington Borough Council on Monday night.
   "We’re facing a crisis in membership and will be doing a full-fledged recruitment drive," squad member Julie Aberger said.
   The squad currently has 25 EMTs (emergency medical technicians). "We need about 40," Ms. Aberger said.
   Being "about 15 people short" can lead to burnout among members who cover extra shifts, she added.
   Ms. Aberger said the squad, which celebrated its 50th anniversary last year, is most pinched for help between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, when many of its members are working and can’t answer calls.
   "First aid is a ’24-7′ situation," she said. "There’s never a moment when it cannot be needed."
   She said EMT training will begin at the squad house, on Broemel Place, on Sept. 6. The 110-hour course is free to volunteer squad members and ends Oct. 14.
   "It goes quickly," Ms. Aberger said. "It’s three hours on Monday and Wednesday nights, plus some Saturdays."
   Ms. Aberger urged families to consider having their teenagers become EMTs.
   "Some of our best EMTs are 16-year-olds," she said. "Put them on an ambulance and they feel like they are doing something valuable. We train and mentor them. They always ride with a trained adult."
   She added: "One of our Top 10 responders is 75 years old. We have a lot of fun. It’s a close-knit, extended family. Many people might think this is something they couldn’t do. Ninety-five percent of our calls are not life-threatening, but are for minor accidents and minor injuries.
   "Pennington is a really tight-knit community. Its fabric is threatened by a lack of volunteerism. There’s no greater reward that I’ve had in my own life than being a First Aid volunteer."
   "We certainly appreciate all the efforts of our volunteers. There is a crisis of volunteerism in all levels of municipalities, not just emergency services. We’ll do whatever we can to encourage people to consider joining your organization," said Mayor Jim Loper.