[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 174 (Friday, October 26, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1456-E1457]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    CELEBRATING THE WAYNE TOWNSHIP MEMORIAL FIRST AID SQUAD'S 75TH 
                              ANNIVERSARY

                                  _____
                                 

                      HON. RODNEY P. FRELINGHUYSEN

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, October 26, 2018

  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the Wayne 
Township Memorial First Aid Squad located in the Township of Wayne, New 
Jersey, on the occasion of its 75th Anniversary.
  Born out of necessity, the Wayne Township Memorial First Aid Squad 
has grown over the past seven decades to become an efficient, well-
operated organization that responds to over five thousand calls each 
year. Back in 1942, Wayne suffered the loss of eight lives during the 
bitterly cold week of February 8-14. At that time, there was no local 
first aid squad, and ambulance services were provided by neighboring 
units in Pompton Lakes, Little Falls, and Cedar Grove, as well as by 
Paterson hospitals. Seeing the need to have a squad within the 
township, a group of concerned citizens took it upon themselves to 
establish a local ambulance corps, which became a reality one year 
later.
  In 1943, the Wayne Township Memorial First Aid Squad was officially 
formed, and the first call was responded to on September 1, 1944. The 
original headquarters was located on Oak Street on the property of 
Captain William Taylor, the first president of the squad. During the 
early years, Wayne also responded to calls in half of Totowa and all of 
Lincoln Park, until these communities developed squads of their own.
  The headquarters moved in 1950 to Boonton Road, now Mountainview 
Boulevard, on a site currently occupied by American Legion Post No. 174 
before eventually moving to the

[[Page E1457]]

Mountain View building on Taylor Drive. As Wayne Township continued to 
expand, a second building was added on Hamburg Turnpike, giving the 
township two facilities at opposite ends of town. An addition of bay 
areas to the Hamburg Turnpike facility took place in 1992, and proved 
to be of great value, especially after fire destroyed the Mountain View 
building and all equipment had to be moved and stored.
  The first ambulance for the Wayne squad was a 1942 recycled Buick 
hearse, which was obtained from Chicago. In 1954, a 1952 Cadillac 
became the second ambulance for the corps, and the original Buick was 
replaced by another Cadillac. The first two rescue vehicles were a Jeep 
wagon and a Chevrolet truck, which could transport personnel and 
equipment but could not carry patients from an accident site. This 
problem was solved with the addition of a Multi-Carry Rescue (MCR) 
vehicle in the early 1970's, and later by a rescue truck with a custom-
designed box on a Ford diesel chassis obtained in 1987.
  The organization that started out with only a handful of people has 
now grown to over 80 trained Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs). All 
members receive this type of training, and may also complete courses 
with the State Police in heavy rescue work. The establishing of the 
Youth Squad in 1973 allowed youngsters 16 to 18 years of age to serve 
in an auxiliary capacity, and many went on to become members of the 
squad. Now known as the Cadet Corps, active members are still being 
sought.
  The Squad has come a long way in the more than sixty-five years since 
the original ``hearse'' responded to its first call. Modern equipment, 
consisting of five modular ambulances and a state of the art rescue 
truck, highly-trained volunteers, and efficient communication systems, 
provide Wayne and surrounding municipalities and the County of Passaic, 
with the finest service by men and women who give much time and effort 
to serve others.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask that you and our colleagues join me in 
congratulating the Wayne Township Memorial First Aid Squad, on the 
occasion of its 75th Anniversary.

                          ____________________