With more praise and thanks to First Aid Chief Lance Hubeny and the Atlantic Highlands First Aid Squad, Councilman James Murphy reported the squad will have a 2024 Ford E450 ambulance within two weeks.
At the same time, the squad and it chief deserve more praise and credit for the squad’s Cadet Program, noting that one cadet in the program has already completed all his training and is now officially an EMT with the squad, and two other cadets are in training to become EMR, or Emergency Medical Responders. Murphy noted the title of EMR with the requirements necessary to be completed to receive it is similar to an advanced first responder.
“Having three of four cadets earn an EMT or EMR designation is amazing,” the councilman said, noting also that the squad has answered 43 calls during the month of September.
News continues to get even better, he continued, with three more cadets in the process of joining the firsts aid squad.
The new ambulance was made possible through fundraising by the First Aid Squad through donations; the fact it will be available by next month rather than the two to two and a half years generally accepted for arrival of a newly ordered ambulance, is because of efforts by Chief Hubeny, Murphy said. He termed both the fund raising by the squad and the quick arrival of the new equipment “Astounding.”
Murphy reported the squad already also has a buyer for their “gently used rig” they purchased for use until they could secure a new ambulance. He pointed out the squad was able to sell it for more than they paid for its purchase.
The squad has answers 381 emergency calls from January to September, for a total of 1,047 calls since Hubeny took over as chief in July 2022, and promised a harder working, more enthusiastic, capable and enthusiastic squad that would work together seamlessly.
