Fires and Medical Emergencies Keep First Aid Squad Busy

The Springfield First Aid Squad has had an extremely busy year so far, having responded to almost 30 emergencies through the middle of the week, including two standbys at major structure fires in Union County.

The squad was requested to provide medical stand-bys at major structure fires in Elizabeth on Sunday night and in Linden early Tuesday morning. The squad was also requested at another fire in Hillside on Sunday morning, but was unable to respond due to multiple calls in Springfield. The Springfield First Aid Squad is frequently asked to respond to fires across Union County, and its first-aiders are trained and experienced at providing standbys and assessments for firefighters.

In addition to the many hours its crews have spent at fires, the volume of emergencies in Springfield has kept the squad busy day and night this week. New Years Eve and New Years Day were especially busy for the squad, with the squad responding to several calls for individuals who became ill or injured while celebrating the new year. The squad also provided mutual-aid to a neighboring town on Tuesday morning. The First Aid Squad has mutual-aid agreements with surrounding towns in which the squad assists squads in other towns in exchange for help in Springfield when needed.

To handle the high call volume, the squad has had to call on off-duty members on several occasions to staff a second ambulance when multiple emergencies occur simultaneously. The Springfield Police and Fire Departments have assisted the squad on many of its calls this week.

Since 1949, the Springfield First Aid Squad has been on call 24/7 as the primary provider of emergency medical services to the Township of Springfield. The squad is an all-volunteer organization funded by the generosity of the community.

The First Aid Squad is always in need of new members and donations to ensure that it is always ready and able to provide the highest level of care to Springfield. For information about the First Aid Squad, to donate, or to join, call (973)-908-8-EMS, visitwww.SpringfieldFAS.org, or send an e-mail to sfas@SpringfieldFAS.org.