Letters
Consider becoming an EMT

The quick, well-publicized actions of New Jersey volunteer emergency medical technician (EMT) Sean Baran during the July 7 terrorist bombings in London are a terrific illustration of the value of our state’s volunteer emergency medical services (EMS).

Although Sean’s training and experience as a member of a volunteer EMS organization have served his New Jersey community well, they also prepared him to respond effectively during emergency situations anywhere. His skills, invaluable to the victims he assisted in London, will prove useful to him and those around him throughout his life. The fact that Sean obtained those skills in New Jersey speaks volumes about the quality of our state’s volunteer EMS corps.

The nonprofit New Jersey State First Aid Council, which celebrated its 75th anniversary last year, represents more than 20,000 EMS volunteers affiliated with hundreds of first aid and rescue squads throughout the state. Each year, New Jersey’s established, reliable volunteer EMS base responds to hundreds of thousands of calls for assistance all over the state, saving taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars. That same corps of volunteers demonstrated its critical importance during and following the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks in New York City.

Sean is representative of the thousands of EMS volunteers in New Jersey who step in and help whenever, wherever they are needed. With volunteer rolls ever shrinking, the council regularly steps up recruitment and retention efforts to expand that base.

On the council’s behalf, I ask New Jersey’s residents to consider undertaking EMT training and then volunteering their services in their communities.

The skills they’ll acquire, as well as the rewarding feeling that accompanies helping someone in need, are just two of the many guaranteed lifetime benefits.

Frederick L. Steinkopf

president

New Jersey State

First Aid Council

Soup kitchen gets

early Christmas gift

Christmas came early to St. Mark’s Soup Kitchen in Keansburg. Our Santa Claus is Tim McLoone and The Holiday Express.

We asked for their help in funding a handicapped-access ramp for disabled clients to come into the lunch room.

Instead, we are getting more help than we ever dreamed possible: new paint, a new floor, a bathroom that works, new curtains, and a whole new kitchen!

We volunteers are so thankful to Mr. McLoone, The Holiday Express and DJ Big Joe Henry.

All of these people (and many more) are so generous with their time. We are also so grateful to those businesses and individuals in the community for their generous donations.

Mr. McLoone, our Santa, is a man who truly knows how to keep the holiday spirit alive all year long. He and The Holiday Express are an inspiration and an asset to our community.

There must be better words than thank you, but I don’t know them.

Marjorie Ernst

Red Bank on behalf of

volunteers of St. Mark’s

Soup Kitchen