April - May 2002 Edition

Ambulance   On a recent Friday morning, when most Fair Lawn residents were heading off to work and school, three calls for ambulances came into the police station. An hour after the first call, when there were no emergency medical technicians or ambulances available -- Fair Lawn's Office of Emergency Management Coordinator, Tom Metzler, declared a state of emergency. An ambulance from Hackensack then came to Fair Lawn's rescue.   Every one of the Fair Lawn Volunteers Ambulance Corps members is a volunteer.    Gail Cebular, former President of the Ambulance Corps, told Fair Lawn News they have always had a problem finding volunteers to respond to daytime emergencies.  (For information about volunteering, check out their web site.)   On average, the Fair Lawn Volunteer Ambulance Corps handles about six calls per day. The volunteers respond to a numerous types of emergencies, such as heart attacks, chest pains, strokes and breathing difficulties.     Ms. Cebular said that some people are abusing the ambulance service, though - using it as a taxi service. An ambulance is needed for true injuries, she said, 'not for a bruised arm or pain in a leg'. She said 'the biggest problem is that some people think that if they go to a hospital by ambulance, they will be seen quicker by doctors, but that is absolutely not true.'   Ms. Cebular said that many people mistakenly think the ambulance is a taxpayer benefit. However it is donations from residents, not taxes, that cover the cost of ambulances. The Corps has been facing some financial difficulties, as their fundraising has not kept up with increased expenses. Ms. Cebular explained that 'equipment is more expensive than it used to be. Some materials that were once re-used after an ambulance call, must now be thrown out, for sanitary reasons.    Last year, the Borough loaned the Ambulance Corps money to buy a new ambulance. Revenue from a cellular tower on Ambulance Corps property off Route 208 will be used to pay back the borough.   Fair Lawn's Volunteers on September 11th. Most of the Corps members were working, when the two planes struck the World Trade Center towers.  After hearing the news, many were released from their regular jobs and went to Liberty State Park in Jersey City where a make-shift hospital was set up in the old rail terminal.  Other volunteers remained behind to cover Fair Lawn's needs for ambulance requests.   The next two days, volunteers went to ground zero and helped the rescue workers. At the World Trade Center, Cebular said she kept thinking to herself 'Where did everything go'. When she looked around 'the metal and all the furniture were gone. Everything was pulverized. In comparison to the size of the buildings, there was almost nothing left. Everything was reduced to nothing.'   Other Choices Besides Ambulance Fair Lawn News has discovered two local transportation services that provide non-emergency medical transportation for Fair Lawn residents.     - Bergen County's Department of Human Services provides transportation services for disabled and elderly residents who are unable to use public transportation. Transportation services are provided for routine medical visits, work and grocery shopping. Reservations are necessary and a $1 donation is encouraged. For more information, call the Division of Community Transportation at: 201-646-3137 or (201) 646-3678.    - The American Cancer Society (201-343-2222) provides medical transportation for cancer patients.