[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 68 (Wednesday, May 15, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E666]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 HONORING THE CEDAR GROVE AMBULANCE AND RESCUE SQUAD'S 75TH ANNIVERSARY

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                      HON. RODNEY P. FRELINGHUYSEN

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 15, 2013

  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Cedar Grove 
Ambulance and Rescue Squad, located in Cedar Grove, Essex County, New 
Jersey, which is celebrating its 75th Anniversary.
  The need for a rescue squad in Cedar Grove was realized in 1938. When 
a resident of Cedar Grove was in need of immediate help, and the only 
rescue squad available was in the nearby Township of Verona. It was 
May, 1938, that a group of firemen formed the Cedar Grove Rescue Squad, 
with the express purpose of providing emergency medical care and rescue 
services to those in need. The Rescue Squad was based in Center Fire 
Company #1, and was the sole provider of emergency medical care to the 
residents of Cedar Grove for thirteen years.
  In 1951, the Township of Cedar Grove faced a dramatic upsurge in 
emergency calls, causing eight Auxiliary Policemen and eight residents 
to form the Cedar Grove Ambulance Unit. The Unit was based out of the 
Municipal Building. In the following years, the Township continued to 
grow, as did the number of emergency calls. The need for more 
volunteers, vehicles, and space was patent. In 1962, the Ambulance Unit 
moved its headquarters to the intersection of Cedar Street and Ridge 
Road, and in 1965, the Rescue Squad moved to its headquarters at 
Pompton Avenue and Myrtle Avenue. The two organizations worked together 
to provide care and services to the residents of Cedar Grove, with the 
Rescue Squad handling on-scene work and the Ambulance Unit providing 
transportation to the hospital.
  In the early eighties, new state regulations and the overwhelming 
amount of calls led to merger negotiations between the Rescue Squad and 
Ambulance Unit. In 1982, the merger resulted in the Cedar Grove 
Ambulance and Rescue Squad. Today, the squad has over sixty members 
that handle over 1,600 calls annually. They have three ambulances in 
operation, and a heavy-duty rescue truck equipped with the latest in 
rescue and medical equipment. The members, a remarkable group of men 
and women, remain dedicated to serving the residents of Cedar Grove, 
and providing the best care in emergency situations.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask you and my colleagues to join me in congratulating 
the Cedar Grove Ambulance and Rescue Squad as they celebrate their 75th 
Anniversary.

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