[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 60 (Tuesday, April 19, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E515]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




CELEBRATING THE 65TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FLORHAM PARK MEMORIAL FIRST AID 
                                 SQUAD

                                  _____
                                 

                      HON. RODNEY P. FRELINGHUYSEN

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, April 19, 2016

  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 65th 
Anniversary of The Florham Park Memorial First Aid Squad, located in 
Florham Park, in Morris County, New Jersey.
  Over the years, the squad has responded to various types of 
emergencies including: motor vehicle collisions, fire, plane crashes 
and have cared for victims of crimes. They have also been in attendance 
at countless parades, gazebo concerts, football games and graduations. 
For fifty years the squad has functioned as a free-of-charge service, 
relying upon donations from residents and businesses in order to cover 
their expenses.
  As time has passed, the borough's population has increased, causing a 
raise in the number of calls they receive. In their first year, they 
had fifty-eight calls, while in 2000, there were 962. They have racked 
up more than 350,000 miles on a total of fourteen ambulances.
  In 1951, first aid squads were considered an innovative idea. Only a 
few surrounding towns had them and there were only one-hundred and 
thirty squads operating in New Jersey. On January 15, 1951 the Florham 
Park Volunteer Fire Department decided to form their town's squad as a 
separate non-profit corporation. At the start, firemen served as 
advisors and trustees.
  The concept of dialing 9-1-1 was not used until the early 1990s by 
Florham Park. When the squad first formed, a local storekeeper, Carmen 
Kursino, fielded calls during the day and the police department 
answered at night. In 1955, technology had advanced and an answering 
service in Madison dispatched calls. During this time, not many 
families had two cars, so in order to assist the volunteers the 
ambulance would pick up the crew on the way to the call. In 1965, calls 
would be broadcasted to volunteers over radio receivers called 
Plectrons. These were later upgraded to battery-operated units which 
allowed the crew to travel around town freely. They currently use 
Minitor II technology.
  In order to be able to staff weekday shifts, Florham Park became one 
of the first squads in New Jersey that allowed women to join. An 
article written in the Newark Sunday News on October 2, 1955, echoed 
the feelings of that day. It stated, these women ``may have to drop 
their brooms, forsake the washing or leave the dishes to rush to the 
squads headquarters'' in order to receive a call.
  Originally, their ambulance was stored in the Brooklake firehouse. 
However, after the fire department purchased a second fire truck, the 
squad was forced to find a new home. On February 20, 1953 they 
purchased a garage next door to their old location. They dedicated the 
building to the late Captain C. Howard Collins on Memorial Day 1953. In 
1964, the town suggested the squad move to Felch Road. They listened 
and ended up purchasing a building costing around $40,000.
  The squad continues to update their equipment and training in order 
to keep up with advancements in emergency care. They are still the 
primary providers of first aid care to residents and workers of the 
borough and provide trusted aid to the surrounding communities.
  Mr. Speaker, please join me in recognizing the Executive Board, 
members and volunteers of the Florham Park Memorial First Aid Squad of 
Florham Park, New Jersey for all of their service to their community.

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