As most of you know, I have not been doing any more updates to this site, although the saloon is still open for posting. I received this email from Jack Trovato, and agreed it was worth posting.
If you have any comments or info you'd like to add, please feel free to post in the saloon.
The Raiding of the EMT Traininf FUND!
Ocean Gate, NJ, May 4, 2009: The Ocean Gate Volunteer First Aid Squad opposes Gov. Jon Corzine’s plan to redirect $4 million from the Emergency Medical Technician Training Fund to the general fund.
This decision affects the Volunteer EMS Squads in New Jersey on so many different levels. We will be forced to pick between paying for fuel, paying for supplies, paying for utilities to operate or stations, and paying to certify new EMT’s as well as keep current EMT’s certified. You should all be happy that we don’t pay our members.. That’s right they do it for FREE we are NJ VOLUNTEER FIRST AID SQUADS. Approximately 85% of all new EMTS trained in Ocean and Monmouth counties are volunteers and obtain their training through this fund.
In this day and age just finding people to give up their time away from home and family is bad enough, just think how much more difficult it would be if we told them they would have to pay over $500 to obtain their training and even more every year to stay certified! This would have a disastrous effect on our ability to recruit and retain members. Fewer members can mean longer response times putting lives at risk.
What we do as volunteer EMS squads is to much to list in a press release, you should talk to your local squads, visit their websites, and most of all show your support for what they do for FREE every day.
What can you do to help?
CONTACT YOUR REPRESENTITIVES AND TELL THEM TO OPPOSE CORZINES PLAN TO RAID THE FUND
Visit www.njsfac.org or at www.njemsea.org for sample letters contact info and a legislator scoreboard
About Ocean Gate First Aid:
Ocean Gate First Aid has its headquarters in Ocean Gate NJ. Ocean Gate EMS provides emergency Basic Life Support Services to the community at no charge. Ocean Gate First Aid is a volunteer and recognized 501c(3)organization which operates 2 ambulances, a First Responder unit, and a Special Operations Trailer. Ocean Gate First Aid has been serving the community since 1949. More information can be found at www.oceangateems.org | 
