ABOUT US

 

The Mendham First Aid Rescue Squad was organized in 1940 by twelve men: Jacob Lewis, James Gunther, Richard Clark, Charles Moeri, Clinton Barnett, Floyd Garabrant, William Menagh, Francis Prior, Joseph Ammerman, Orville Garabrant, Cyril Lounsbury, and Charles Day. The squad was a part of the Fire Department. The first ambulance was a 1935 Ford station wagon and was donated by Wiliam Cordingly. The first patient was on July 4, 1940, a fireworks operator with first degree burns. In 1947, a new ambulance was purchased and in February 1951, a new resuscitator was purchased. In 1952, the squad assisted other squads in Morris County in moving all the patients from the old Memorial Hospital to the new hospital. In 1958, the first baby, a girl was delivered. As the number of calls increased with less manpower, the squad met with Mendham Township, who then formed their own squad in 1969.

In 1972, the Fire Department asked the Borough Council to finance a plectron alert system. In 1973, a rescue truck was added for rescue and fire support. As the squad met with manpower problems, the fire company changed its by-laws to allow first aid only members. In addition to answering first aid calls, the squad is actively involved in community service projects. This includes education for schools, senior citizens, girl scouts, boy scouts, and CPR, standing by at football games, as well as providing assistance to NYC on 9/11 and to mutual aid communities. Since 2001, the first aid squad has been actively preparing for multi-casualty events, as well as training for possible terrorist incidents. With changing state requirements for training and certification, and responding to over 500 calls, the first aid squad needed strict control over its own governance, technology and financing.

In 2003, the squad requested the Borough Council separate them from the Fire Department. On January 1, 2004, the Mendham First Aid Squad became an independent organization providing emergency medical services to the Borough of Mendham. While the squad will continue to support the Fire Department in emergency situations, the squad operations, governance and fund raising will be conducted independently.