Message from Deputy Mayor Ellen Zimmerman | September 13, 2023
It was on April 10, 1937 that Scotch Plains welcomed its first, all-volunteer rescue squad, as residents secured a 1924 ambulance from the former Muhlenberg Hospital in Plainfield for $250.
When the siren sounded, about 20 volunteers from Scotch Plains responded. As the only independent, privately-maintained rescue organization in Union County, the residents of our community, as well as Fanwood, Mountainside and New Providence, benefitted from these good Samaritans and their used ambulance that responded all over.
Fast forward some 85 years, and the Scotch Plains Rescue Squad is still serving our community from its building on Bartle Avenue. But there are challenges that we are now addressing. The number of emergency calls have virtually doubled in Scotch Plains over the past 20 years, as our community grows older, our population increased and many more of our residents call 911 for service.
Our rescue squad needs help to address the huge uptick in calls. And the Scotch Plains Fire Department is responding, serving as a back-up for times when the all-volunteer squad can’t provide an immediate response.
This week, Scotch Plains welcomed a new, state-of-the-art ambulance at the fire department behind town hall. And next year, there will be two ambulances in service through the SPFD, with per-diem EMTs covering any gaps in coverage. These trained emergency responders are available at all times, on any day, giving our rescue squad reliable back-up whenever needed.
