The Emergency Medical Services (EMS) redesign bill S818/A2095, passed by the state Assembly and now being considered in the state Senate, is a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
The bill has several flaws and vague language. For example, its proponents claim the changes the bill would bring to New Jersey’s EMS system would cost less than $2 million to implement and only $665,000 annually.
Costs would include a global positioning system (GPS) for each ambulance and GPS software for the Department of Health and Human Services.
Although GPS devices for ambulances are not a bad idea, the math does not add up.
The 82-year-old nonprofit New Jersey State First Aid Council represents 330 volunteer squads— most with at least two ambulances each. Who is going to pay for all those devices? Since former Gov. Jon Corzine took $4 million from the emergency medical technician training fund in 2009 to help balance his budget, some volunteer EMTs are paying from their own pockets to maintain their certifications and continue serving their communities.
Many others cannot afford the hundreds of dollars needed to re-certify and have allowed or plan to allow their certifications to lapse.
Without enough volunteers, the ambulances will sit idle. So much for the GPS devices.
Joseph G. Walsh Jr. Central Area Vice President New Jersey State First Aid Council Neptune