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EAC Member Login

Here are some frequently asked questions and their answers...

Why should I wait for the ambulance when I can put the person in my car and get to the hospital quicker.

For some emergencies, this may be okay to do. For most emergencies, this is not the best approach. 

An ambulance squad consists of two EMTs, medical supplies, medical tools, a communication link with a Emergency Room physician, emergency lights, and general rules of the road that require other vehicles to yield to us.

When the ambulance arrives at the emergency, medical procedures are immediately rendered and control is established.  If a problem arises, the crew will react to it immediately.  

If the person is not able to move for themself, you may not be able to move them without risk of further injury.

If you have called "911" and an ambulance is dispatched, and you then decide to transport your loved one to the Emergency Room on your own,  Please call "911" again and tell them you are going to do this.  We may be able to meet you on the way and provide care in route.

If I pull up to an accident just after it happens, what do I do?

Make sure "911" is called and the accident is reported. The dispatch needs to know how many victims and how severe the accident is so they can dispatch the appropriate number of personnel. Keep your distance from the accident area. If there are power lines down, DO NOT APPROACH THE AREA. 

If I am unconscious and need medical care, what happens to my children when the ambulance takes me to the emergency room?

Our squad members will notify the Police Department and have them make arrangements with next of kin or other family members to take care of the children.   We may even leave one of our members at your home to make sure there is an adult present until a family member is present in the event police are not available.

Do I have to stop my vehicle to yield to an ambulance?

If the emergency lights are on and if there is enough room on the shoulder of the road to allow the ambulance room enough to pass, then "No".  "

If the emergency lights are not on, an ambulance is just another vehicle on the road.

Can an Ambulance proceed thru a red light?

An ambulance must obey the rules of the road. The only time an ambulance may proceed is when the intersection is controlled by an officer or fireman. The officer or fireman will make sure all traffic is completely stopped and then will let the ambulance thru. 

We instruct our members to stop at the red light and wait till ALL vehicles are stopped, then proceed only if it is safe. 

How do your members know you have a call?

If an emergency occurs, and someone calls "911", the dispatcher asks pertinent information and then dispatches "Squad 21" for an emergency assignment. Each of our members are provided with an emergency pager that is triggered by the "911" center, and then the call is announced over all the pagers at one time.

If I have to call "911", does my personal information go over the county radios?

No, in Salem County, a Fax machine located at our ambulance hall is used to provide information from the dispatcher, details that are not appropriate to relay over the radio.  This information includes the callers name, a call back phone number and the physical address of the house or business. This report then becomes part of the run file that is maintained by our squad.

Can I ride in the ambulance when my loved one is being taken to the Emergency Room?

One person can accompany the patient in the ambulance to the hospital, keep in mind our squad policy only allows them to ride in the front seat. A parent of a young child, when the child is a patient, will be asked to accompany us in the back.

How does the squad know when to call a helicopter to fly a patient to a trauma center?

The department of Health and Senior Services of New Jersey has developed a protocol for quick decisions with patient assessment of a trauma victim.  A chart is referred to during a quick assessment and the decision is made.

Why did I get a bill from Elmer Ambulance for an Emergency that I recently had?

Although we mostly rely on donations from the residents in our community, increasing costs have forced us to bill our patients and/or their insurance companies.

Why did I get a bill from Underwood Hospital for an Emergency that I had recently?

The Underwood Memorial Hospital Mobile Intensive Care Unit is the provider of Advanced Life Support in Salem County, Gloucester County and Cumberland County. If your emergency required Advanced Life Support to be dispatched, and they treated you in route to the hospital, then you will be billed by them. UMH-MICU is not affiliated in any way with Elmer Ambulance Corps., Inc.

If I want to donate, can I give my donation to a squad member?

The best way to donate to our squad is by using the mailer in the donation request that we send out every fall. If you provide us with a check, that donation is tax deductible. 

But if you feel that giving right then is what you want to do, our members are instructed to give the donation to the line officer or senior member and they will make sure our treasurer gets it.

Can my organization have a tour of the squad building?

Sure. We encourage our community to see our hall and our equipment. It has taken years to get to where we are now. Contact our Captain.

Does Elmer Ambulance Corps provide any community medical training?

We do have information on CPR and First Aid instructors that can teach classes to people that don't have prior medical experience. Our hall can be used for this type of class as it was designed to be a teaching facility. There may be costs involved, so contact our Training Officer.

If you have any other questions for us...  Email us.

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Last modified: January 20, 2008