JACKSON- AJackson councilwoman has reported on her examination of a firm that is bidding to provide Basic Life Support (BLS) services in Jackson.
QualityMedical Transport, Bayville, is one of two companies that has made a bid to provide BLS services in the municipality.
The other company that made a bid to provide BLS services in Jackson is the Monmouth-Ocean Hospital Service Corporation (MONOC), Wall Township.
Municipal officials have said they may also consider forming Jackson’s own professional squad to provide BLS services. The municipal squad would operate under the auspices of the police department
At the present time, BLS services are provided in Jackson by MONOC from 5 a.m. to 6 p.m. and by the Jackson Volunteer First Aid Squad from 6 p.m. to 5 a.m.
MONOC provides Advanced Life Support (ALS) services in Jackson now and would continue to provideALS services regardless of what municipal officials decide relative to the BLS program.
Councilwoman Emily Ingram said she interviewed Sal Murante, who is the general operations manager for Quality Medical Transport (QMT). Ingram said QMT it is a family run business that has been in existence since 1990. The company has about 50 ambulances and about 145 employees.
Ingram said she learned that QMT supplies BLS services to Barnegat and Tuckerton and provides backup BLS services for Lakewood, Manchester, Whiting and Lakehurst. The firm has five offices.
QMT provides service at no cost to the municipality and only bills the insurance company of the person who receives their service. If the person does not have insurance the service would be provided for free, she said.
Ingram said she was told there are no additional costs to the municipality or to residents.
“According to Mr. Murante, response time is their claim to fame,” Ingram said. “He also said QMT has gone above and beyond the regulations imposed by the state.”
Ingram said Murante is also a volunteer fireman with 17 years to his credit. His wife, Deborah, is the EMS director (compliance officer) and also volunteers her time.
The councilwoman said she called several of QMT’s references. She said she spoke with BarnegatMayorAl Cirulli who told her that his municipality is “blessed to have them.”
Ingram said Cirulli reported that QMT provides an average response time of about three minutes. She said the Barnegat mayor told her that the municipality’s previous emergency medical service had a response time of about 20 minutes.
“He (Cirulli) loves that QMT only charges the insurance company and that there is absolutely no other charge,” Ingram said.
Barnegat is 35 square miles in size and has a population of 20,308 residents, according to the township administrator’s office.
A
t the present time QMT operates in
Barnegat from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. A volunteer first aid squad provides emergency medical services in Barnegat from 6 p.m., to 6 a.m. Monday through Friday and on weekends.
Ingram said QMT is stationed in a building that Barnegat leases to the company.
Ingram said she also spoke with Maryann Giblin of the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services. Ingram said Giblin informed her that spot inspections of QMT’s vehicles show that 99 percent of the vehicles are always in good working order. She said Giblin reported that QMT has strict operating procedures. Ingram said Giblin reported that employees who do not perform up to expectations are suspended or dismissed.
Quality Medical Transport did not return telephone calls placed by the Tri- Town News, which was seeking additional information about how the company would provide BLS services in Jackson.
Jackson is 100 square miles in size and has a population of about 52,000 residents. The company’s bid submission indicated that it does not have experience in a town of Jackson’s size and population.