Volunteers Sought For Wayne Memorial First Aid Squad

WAYNE, NJ — Have you ever wanted to help your neighbors during an emergency? Are you looking for a volunteering opportunity?

The Wayne Township Memorial First Aid Squad is looking for people to join.

The squad, staffed entirely by volunteers, provides 24-hour emergency medical services to the Wayne area, all at no cost to the patient. Currently, they have five fully equipped ambulances, two boats, a towing vehicle, trailers, a mobile ambulance bus and a heavy rescue truck.

The First Aid Squad helps residents with basic medical services and provides ambulance transportation to area hospitals.

"Born out of necessity, the Wayne Township Memorial First Aid Squad has grown over the past decades to become an efficient, well-operated organization that responds to over 5,000 calls each year," the squad said.

In 1943, the Wayne Township Memorial First Aid Squad was established, and they swiftly responded to their inaugural call on Sept. 1, 1944. The original headquarters building was on Oak Street, situated on the property owned by Captain William Taylor, who served as the squad's first president.

In its early years, Wayne also attended to calls in half of Totowa and the entirety of Lincoln Park until these communities established their own squads.

In 1950, the headquarters relocated to Boonton Road (now Mountainview Blvd.), located on the site currently occupied by American Legion Post #174, before eventually moving to the Mountain View building on Taylor Drive.

As Wayne Township continued its expansion, a second building was added on the Hamburg Turnpike, providing the township with two facilities at opposite ends of town.

"The squad has come a long way in the more than sixty-five years since the original 'hearse' responded to its first call. Modern equipment, consisting of four modular ambulances and an emergency vehicle, highly-trained volunteers, and efficient communication systems, provides Wayne with the finest service by the men and women who give much time and effort to serve others," the squad said.

The Wayne First Aid Squad is now looking for members to join their team.

After applying, the squad will provide applicants with the relevant information and schedules for obtaining CPR and EMT training in the area.

The membership committee will reach out to residents who have submitted applications to join the squad. After a telephone interview, a member of the membership committee will arrange an in-person interview.

All recruits will first join the team as "student members." These members will accompany trained EMTs on real calls. If applicable, after riding in the ambulance, they will be sponsored for the EMT course.

Student members are required to obtain EMT certification within one year of enrollment, officials said.

To apply, click here.