HEMS/HRS Remains Ready to Serve Township Residents
Hillsborough, New Jersey, November 5, 2017:
It has come to the attention of the Hillsborough Rescue Squad that the McCauley/Tomson
campaign has made specific and inaccurate claims about HRS. HRS takes no position with regard to
the upcoming election. We note the following in response to the claims about HRS contained in the
McCauley/Tomson mailing and at recent Township Committee meetings.
1. The existing Hillsborough Rescue Squad has not disbanded.
Hillsborough Rescue Squad (“HRS”), the organization which has served our Township since 1955,
remains ready to serve.
Township officials are well-aware that there are HRS volunteer crews ready to answer EMS calls. Yet
Township officials continue to push for the formation of a completely new and separate squad. There is
no legitimate reason to start a new agency other than the Township’s refusal to work with HRS.
Township efforts to create a new “volunteer squad” are simply a continuation of the dirty politics, behindthe-scenes
deal making, and hidden agendas that led to the Robert Wood Johnson takeover in June.
2. Minutes reveal a plan to create Paid EMS positions under the Fire District.
Although Township officials publicly boast about a “new volunteer squad” being formed in cooperation
with Robert Wood, minutes of the Board of Fire Commissioners reveal this “new volunteer squad” is
clearly only step one: Plans are in the works for the Township to institute 24/7 paid EMS coverage by
2019, funded by Township taxpayers.
This means that on top of purchasing ambulances and equipment, Township residents will also be
funding EMS positions (with pensions and benefits). Alternatively, the increase in EMS call volume may
be used to justify a paid fire department. In any event, the tax impact of Township-funded EMS will be
enormous.
3. The claim that township taxpayers are saving $300,000 a year due to the switch to Robert Wood
is misleading.
All rescue functions (vehicle extrication, swift water rescue, search and rescue) have been transferred to
the fire departments—not to Robert Wood Johnson. The costs to provide these vital services have not gone away; they have simply been transferred to the fire district budget and will still be paid by taxpayers.
Hillsborough, New Jersey, November 5, 2017:
It has come to the attention of the Hillsborough Rescue Squad that the McCauley/Tomson
campaign has made specific and inaccurate claims about HRS. HRS takes no position with regard to
the upcoming election. We note the following in response to the claims about HRS contained in the
McCauley/Tomson mailing and at recent Township Committee meetings.
1. The existing Hillsborough Rescue Squad has not disbanded.
Hillsborough Rescue Squad (“HRS”), the organization which has served our Township since 1955,
remains ready to serve.
Township officials are well-aware that there are HRS volunteer crews ready to answer EMS calls. Yet
Township officials continue to push for the formation of a completely new and separate squad. There is
no legitimate reason to start a new agency other than the Township’s refusal to work with HRS.
Township efforts to create a new “volunteer squad” are simply a continuation of the dirty politics, behindthe-scenes
deal making, and hidden agendas that led to the Robert Wood Johnson takeover in June.
2. Minutes reveal a plan to create Paid EMS positions under the Fire District.
Although Township officials publicly boast about a “new volunteer squad” being formed in cooperation
with Robert Wood, minutes of the Board of Fire Commissioners reveal this “new volunteer squad” is
clearly only step one: Plans are in the works for the Township to institute 24/7 paid EMS coverage by
2019, funded by Township taxpayers.
This means that on top of purchasing ambulances and equipment, Township residents will also be
funding EMS positions (with pensions and benefits). Alternatively, the increase in EMS call volume may
be used to justify a paid fire department. In any event, the tax impact of Township-funded EMS will be
enormous.
3. The claim that township taxpayers are saving $300,000 a year due to the switch to Robert Wood
is misleading.
All rescue functions (vehicle extrication, swift water rescue, search and rescue) have been transferred to
the fire departments—not to Robert Wood Johnson. The costs to provide these vital services have not gone away; they have simply been transferred to the fire district budget and will still be paid by taxpayers.
