Representatives of the Twin W First Aid Squad appeared before West Windsor Council on September 8 asking for a lifeline, and after subsequent discussions, indications are that the squad will not shut down at year’s end.
Twin W is a nonprofit community service organization that has been serving West Windsor Township since 1972. The squad currently has 20 active members, all volunteers, who are on call at night. Twin W also answers mutual aid calls for the township’s daytime EMTs and neighboring townships.
Speaking before the council on September 8, Twin W members indicated the squad would cease operating by the end of the year due to a negative budget and explained what changes would be needed to allow continued operation. Specifically, squad representatives requested permission to hire per diems for training and to bill for its ambulance services.
In subsequent meetings with West Windsor officials squad representatives have said the township has indicated a willingness to allow the volunteer organization to bill for ambulance transports.
Twin W has decided that it will not pursue hiring per diems. “We now have another option which is billing,” said Pat Tedesco, the squad’s public information officer.
The option of billing would give the squad much needed income to train entry-level EMTs, which was why Twin W initially also requested permission to hire per diems, at $10 an hour, to run training scenarios as well as train squad staff in real-life emergency situations.
“We were asking the township if we can use the same per diem model the township Fire and Emergency Services uses for training,” Tedesco said.
West Windsor Fire and Emergency Services, a paid division of the township’s public safety department, handles daytime EMT duties and bills the insurance companies of those it transports. Patients without insurance are not charged. Twin W answers calls from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. on weekdays and from 5 p.m. to 7 a.m. on weekends.
Squad president Jan Sun estimates the squad averages more than one call per day. The low volume of emergency medical calls makes it more difficult to train entry-level EMTs, she explains. This in turn has led to difficulty in retaining newer volunteers, who feel they have inadequate emergency response experience.
“It takes a long time to build up the experience,” Sun said. “We expect our EMTs to put in 12 hours a week. Our experienced EMTs put in much more than that because we have to help the younger people.”
Fire and emergency services division manager Jim Yates explained he and his staff use per diems to cover open shifts when full-time employees take vacation.
“[Per diems] are protected by worker’s compensation and liability insurance,” Yates said. “Currently the township provides all the volunteer members with all the protections save for pay and healthcare. If a volunteer member is injured performing their duties, they are covered by worker’s comp, liability insurance, et cetera.”
Tedesco confirmed the township provides the squad’s worker’s compensation and liability insurance. Twin W uses the township’s equipment and ambulances, and so the township would cover any injuries incurred while on duty.
“When it comes to per diems, we never really discussed with the township how the worker’s compensation would be paid out if they got hurt on Emergency & Fire Services ambulances. That was why they were holding out,” Tedesco said. “We can only provide the trainers when they are not on call, educate them in a classroom setting on what they may see in the street.”
The township has agreed the squad is allowed to hire educators and staff, though for the squad this option would be contingent on billing.
“All we really needed was educators,” Tedesco said. “Instead of them riding [on ambulances], they will teach.”
According to Tedesco, Twin W met with a town council member on September 24, and the township is considering the option of billing. “We are looking to start billing by the end year.”
West Windsor Mayor Shing-Fu Hsueh said billing permission for Twin W would take time as the township would need to modify policies and ultimately require council action.
The squad currently does not charge for ambulance transports. The squad’s costs for the first three quarters of 2014 were $164,000, up from $102,000 in actual expenses in 2013. Tedesco says the increase was due to additional costs for trainers, uniforms, and equipment repair, as well as electricity, plumbing, and roof fixes for its building at 21 Everett Drive.
Total income for the squad so far in 2014 is $126,000, up from $106,000 in 2013. The township directly contributes $30,000 per year, and medical supply and equipment orders accounted for an additional $15,000 contribution, according to township business administrator Marlena Schmid.
Aside from township contributions, donations from local residents and businesses are the only other source of income for the squad, Tedesco said.
Twin W holds fund drives in the spring and fall, sending a mail-out to residents. This year’s Fall Fund Drive was mailed out in mid-September. Twin W is also actively recruiting volunteers and will hold an open house on Saturday, October 4, from 10 a.m. to noon at its Everett Drive headquarters.
