Back in 1921, three years after World War I ended, several residents realized the need for quick transportation to hospitals during emergencies and came together to form the Palmyra Ambulance Association.
Local people from all walks of life then joined forces to transform an old car dealership into a First Aid Station. After training volunteers and obtaining donated vehicles, the Association began to take calls for service – and is now considered one of the oldest volunteer ambulance squads in the nation.
“Through the years, the need arose for Palmyra Ambulance Association’s role to expand, and eventually we grew to serve the Borough of Riverton and Cinnaminson Township,” according to its website.
“We soon acknowledged our growing responsibilities and the Palmyra Ambulance Association officially became the Palmyra/Cinnaminson/Riverton EMS station to reflect the communities we serve. Our station grew to three vehicles and an active roster of close to 100 community members responding to an ever increasing call volume.
“As the 2000s went on, our call volume came to such a point that we could no longer sustain response on volunteers alone. We began our current state as a hybrid career/volunteer station with a volunteer roster of 20 members and a career staff of eight full time and 20 per diem professionals.
“The tools and techniques may have changed since 1921, but the spirit to serve our communities still exists and is exemplified by our crew members each and every day. They continue our original mission – serving our community, one call at a time, by answering calls on the street, performing EMS standbys for community events, our EMS education outreach and more.”
The Palmyra Ambulance Association is a professional combination community service organization committed to providing high quality emergency pre-hospital, basic life support ambulance services and related public educational programs to the residents and visitors of Palmyra Borough, Cinnaminson Township, Riverton Borough and Riverside Township.
Palmyra/Cinnaminson/Riverton EMS offers Emergency Medical Services to the Tri-Boro communities 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
The Association is now asking community members to help in the effort to have the state legislature approve a law that would designate EMS as an essential service.
A recent letter to residents by the Association starts off explaining how Emergency Medical Services (EMS) plays a vital role in keeping local communities safe.
“Every day, EMS professionals respond to medical emergencies, provide lifesaving care, and help our neighbors during some of the most difficult moments of their lives. Yet, despite the essential nature of these services, EMS agencies across New Jersey continue to face significant challenges in securing the funding and resources needed to operate, maintain equipment, provide training, and recruit and retain qualified personnel.
“We are asking for your help in supporting the proposed EMS Essential Services Bill (S1421/A1008), legislation that would formally recognize EMS as an essential service in New Jersey. This designation would be an important step toward ensuring that EMS agencies receive the recognition and support necessary to continue providing reliable, timely, and lifesaving care to the communities they serve.
“Our EMS professionals work alongside police officers and firefighters to protect our residents every day. It is only fair that EMS receives the same recognition and support afforded to its public safety partners. Strong, sustainable EMS services benefit everyone, and your voice can help make a difference in securing their future.
“Please take five minutes to contact your New Jersey state senator and two assembly representatives and urge them to support this important legislation,” the letter stated. “Visit Find Your Legislative District. Find the town where you reside and click on your legislative district number. Locate your state senator and two assembly representatives, then click ‘Contact Your Legislators’ under each representative.
“Enter your contact information, including your home address, so your legislators know you are a constituent. Under Related Issue, select Health – Emergency Medical Services and enter EMS Essential Service Bill as the subject. Copy and paste the message below into the comment section, or write a message of your own, and submit it to all three legislators.”
The Association’s suggested message is as follows:
“I am writing to ask for your support of the proposed legislation, S1421/A1008, designating Emergency Medical Services (EMS) as an essential service in New Jersey.
“EMS professionals respond to medical emergencies, save lives, and provide critical care to residents when they need it most. Despite the essential nature of their work, EMS agencies face ongoing challenges in securing the funding and resources necessary to maintain operations, purchase lifesaving equipment, provide training, and recruit and retain qualified personnel.
“Designating EMS as an essential service would be an important step toward addressing these challenges and ensuring that agencies can continue to provide dependable, timely, and lifesaving care to our communities.
“EMS professionals work alongside police officers and firefighters every day to protect our residents. They deserve the same recognition and meaningful support as their public safety partners. I respectfully urge you to support the EMS Essential Services Bill and help secure the future of emergency medical services in New Jersey. Thank you for your time and consideration. I hope I can count on your support for this important legislation.”
At the end of the letter, the Association stated, “every message matters, and when residents speak up together, we can help ensure our local EMS agencies have the resources they need to continue protecting our families, friends, and neighbors.”
The members of the Palmyra/Riverton/Cinnaminson EMS have been saving lives for 105 years. With the help of being designated as an essential service, they will continue to save lives for the next 105 years and beyond.
