Lanoka Harbor EMS Out of the Running for Mass Casualty Unit

As the township committee unanimously stated that Lacey does not receive its fair share of homeland security funds, Chief Bob Resetar of the Lanoka Harbor EMS Squad questioned why it would turn down a Mass Casualty Unit.

“They just turned down $340,000 worth of homeland security that could have helped the residents of this town as well as the surrounding county because it would be a county resource,” Resetar said.

The Lanoka Harbor EMS Squad had planned to apply for a Mass Casualty Unit, two years after they began participating in the NJ EMS Task Force but the township committee turned the application down.

Six members of the LHEMS are currently trained under the Task Force, which is a consortium of paid and volunteer EMS providers from around the state. These members are trained for mass casualty events.

As a result of the Task Force program, Resetar expressed interest in applying for the $340,000 Mass Casualty Unit, which the committee had originally supported but after considering the cost of insurance and maintenance, turned down, Resetar said.

The vehicle would contain 100 backboards and would be used in response to major events such as natural disasters and a problem at Oyster Creek Generating Station, Resetar said. He also reflected on three bus accidents and the evacuation of Southern Ocean County Hospital that the unit would have proved useful.

Currently, the closest Mass Casualty Units are housed in Trenton and Atlantic City.

“It’s a rolling toolbox,” Resetar said. “We felt it was a resource that we could use here and we felt it prudent that this was going to increase our chances of getting some sort of grants back into Ocean County and Lacey Township.”

Resetar had written a 28-page document highlighting why LHEMS was perfectly positioned in the state for a Mass Casualty Unit, why they would be the best choice, the active participation in membership, and more.

He also collected letters of support from the Board of Health, Paramedics, and the County of Ocean Emergency Management.

Initially the township supported the EMS squad to be trained for mass casualties, Mayor Gary Quinn said. But the township reconsidered the unit when the committee thought over the finances of housing, fueling, insuring and restocking the vehicle.

“It wasn’t something, in the economic times that we’re involved with right now, that the taxpayers would be able to handle,” Quinn said. “It’s a great idea but we didn’t believe we would be able to handle the costs. We’re watching every dollar we have.”

Quinn implied that the unit was not so much a luxury item, but not necessary during these economic times.

The EMS department is currently insured by the township under the Ocean County Join Insurance Fund, which is a fleet policy. Whether one or five vehicles are insured, it is a fixed fee, Resetar said.

He did not know how much extra it would be to insure a vehicle of that magnitude but expected it to be little.

Resetar estimated that the unit might cost the township $4,000 annually between the costs in fuel, insurance, and wear, tear, and maintenance.

Although the committee did not calculate the costs of running a Mass Casualty Unit, Committeeman David Most, the liaison for emergency services, said they would have to cover tires, gas, maintenance, vehicle services, warranties, oil changes, and more.

“We appreciate all of our emergency services reaching out but this was a unanimous decision,” Most said. “We felt at this time, due to our financial situation, that we could not support getting another vehicle, especially a mass casualty unit that would be serving the southern part of New Jersey.”

Brick Township is now the only municipality in Ocean County that is in the running for the unit. Most said it makes more sense for the vehicle to go to a larger town and that he knows they would help Lacey Township if there was a need.

“It doesn’t make sense for us to invest in the vehicle. We put thousands out for maintaining our infrastructure as is. You have to look at how it’s going to serve the community and is it affordable. The unit is not in the best interest of Lacey Township,” Most said.

Most added that the committee could not agree to a Mass Casualty Unit when Lacey EMS is in need of a new ambulance.

Resetar was disappointed and said that Lacey Township had a good chance of getting the unit as three officials approached him at a conference wondering where the application was.

“It’s very frustrating to sit there and listen to a fire department cry poverty and they get $89,000 a year,” Resetar said.

LHEMS gets a $35,000 donation from the township; $5,000 of that donation goes to the county dispatch. The annual budget to operate the EMS at “bare bones” is $65,000, Resetar said.

Less then 20 percent of the residents assisted by the EMS donate in response to the squad’s annual letters. Last year, LHEMS sent out 4,000 letters. Only 720 came back.

The Forked River Fire Department answered 900 calls in 2010 while the Lacey First Aid answered 2,000 and LHEMS answered 1,300.

The Lanoka Harbor squad does three calls to every one fire call, Resetar said. Every ambulance call is an average of one hour and 15 minutes while a fire call is an average of 20 minutes.

“That’s where I expect the township to step up and say let’s look at the disparity here. It doesn’t seem right,” Resetar said.

Resetar added that the LHEMS put in approximately 30,000 hours total last year. A paid EMT gets about $17 an hour. The squad saved the township $450,000, Resetar said. Between the two EMS squads, the township saved over $1 million.

“The scales of justice are not in our favor. I’m not out to compete with the fire department. I think they deserve everything they get, just give us a little bit, too. Give us what we give back to the community,” Resetar said. “Public safety needs to be a priority in this town but it’s just another department.”

Resetar said if the squad continues to operate under its current conditions, they would have to either start charging or the town would have to resort to a paid service.

When asked if there is a likelihood of increasing the township’s donation to the EMS squads down the road, Most said that would not be feasible in these economic times.

“If we did have any extra money I would surely love to do that. But right now these are the toughest times since the two percent cap that the municipality ever seen. We have minimal staff. We would really like to hold onto our staff,” Most said.

The EMS will have to think outside the box by finding ways to increase revenue outside of the annual letters and events, Most said.

“At this time it will stay status quo,” Most said. “It is what it is and if we have to make decisions down the road where we can’t afford things then we’ll have to downsize.”

Most said if he had to prioritize, he would put the Lacey EMS ambulance first and he would increase EMS budgets before investing in a Mass Casualty Unit.

“We have to pay the bills and we have to answer to the taxpayers,” Most said. “How can you ask for more money in the budget and at the same time ask for a Mass Casualty Unit.”