FRANKLIN TWP. -- The township will soon make a decision on whether to continue with its local ambulance service or join the Gloucester County EMS.
The county freeholder board voted this week to extend a shared-services agreement to provide ambulance service to the township until March 31 after the township sought help last year because of response issues with the local volunteer squad.
The county has given the township a Feb. 17 deadline to indicate if they want to join Gloucester County EMS full-time this year. This would allow the county time to budget for this additional responsibility, county officials said.
The township has formed a task force to review its options.
All county taxpayers support the Gloucester County EMS, whether their town uses the service or not. Municipalities pay no additional charge for the service. If Franklin Township decides to pursue the county option, it would be the 18th town to join.
The township and county originally signed a 90-day shared services agreement last fall because of issues the township ambulance squad had with responding to calls, township officials said. Former Mayor Sheryl Neely said at the time that the squad was having problems getting to calls because of low volunteer enrollment and medical issues among members.
This week's approval was the second extension to the agreement.
Supporters of the Township of Franklin Ambulance Corps launched a change.org petition last year asking the township to stick with the volunteer organization. The petition author indicted the squad had been going through "some stressful and difficult times recently."
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The township committee voted in January to form a task force to review all options and decide whether to stick with the local ambulance corps or go with the county service, township administrator Nancy Brent said.
Task force participants include township committee members, representatives from the local ambulance squad and local residents with backgrounds in finance and experience in generating volunteer support.
"The township committee is determined not to rush this," Brent said. "It's an important decision and they want to make sure they make the right one."
The township wanted to give the local squad a chance to expand its volunteer base and "get where they needed to be," she said, stressing the squad's many years of service in the community. "It's been a very important part of our town for a very long time," Brent said.
Gloucester County EMS currently provides Franklin Township with basic life support services from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. Monday through Friday and on weekends from 6 p.m. Friday to 6 a.m. Monday. Millville Rescue Squad provides ambulance service weekdays from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Matt Gray may be reached at mgray@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MattGraySJT. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook.
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