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.
I am pleased that the fire department’s ambulances can respond within two minutes of a call. No longer does Scotch Plains need to rely on the county’s EMTs, or volunteer squads from other towns, when our own rescue squad needs support. I believe this new program will save lives, as we have heard that some residents have waited upwards of 30 minutes for an ambulance when volunteers are spread too thin.
Under the new program that launched earlier this year, one ambulance is based at our fire headquarters on the north side. In the spring, the second ambulance will be stationed during peak times at the firehouse on Martine Avenue, ensuring we can more quickly reach our South Side neighborhoods.
If a call comes through in the evening, the Scotch Plains Rescue Squad will answer. If there is a second call while they are dispatched, the call will be routed to the fire department for immediate response. During the daytime hours and in the wee hours of the night, the SPFD will have EMTs at the ready to handle the calls.
Even better, this new ambulance service will not be a cost to Scotch Plains. We used federal funding from the COVID pandemic to purchase the two ambulances. The emergency calls will be funded through private health insurance, so taxpayer dollars will not be required. There will be no copays for patients requiring transport, thus ensuring this new back-up maintains the tradition of free emergency transport that our volunteer squad has generously provided since the 1930s.
I would like to express my ongoing appreciation and admiration of our volunteer rescue squad, which continues to take the lead in responding to the needs of Scotch Plains residents. These individuals, who must continually take courses to comply with updated regulations for emergency squad volunteers, are our local heroes. Many of them have been responding to calls, day and night, for decades.
I am pleased they are finally getting the relief they need. Moreover, Scotch Plains residents can be assured they will receive immediate, no-cost emergency response, no matter when, continuing the tradition and reputation of the Scotch Plains Rescue Squad members, who have always worked for pride, not pay.
For more information about becoming a Scotch Plains Rescue Squad member, auxiliary member, volunteer, or to make a donation, email
