Hardyston approves medical services committee

HARDYSTON — The Hardyston Township Council appointed an Emergency Medical Services Committee on Wednesday, Aug. 12.

This committee — made up of Jim Armstrong, Rod Schmidt, Kelly Kiernan, Heather Malmstrom, Meg Demsack, Debra Lukacscko, Charles Markarian, Kristia Markarian, Ellis Marples, Lois Marples, Bill Hickerson, Jane Caizzo, and a council liason — will investigate further options and present a final plan to the council and Mayor Carl Miller. The committee has until December to present a definitive plan, along with the final recommendation to provide emergency medical services for Hardyston Township.

In addition to the Emergency Medical Service committee, a Professional Support Team of Marianne Smith, township manager; Bret Alemy, chief of police, Robb Rehberg, Rehberg & Konin Group; and Wayne Dunn, dispatch/emergency medical technician; will oversee the committee. An expansive community assistance will be offered consisting of Fred Steinkopf, who spends a large amount of time in Hardyston, but is a resident of Bernardsville. Lakeland EMS' Rourke Day stated an interest in assisting as Lakeland has been successful in overseeing a squad that has several partners.

The committee is responsible for coming up with a volunteer staff if volunteers are decided to be a part of the plan, if there will be paid staffing, it needs to come up with the fees that will pay for the employees, a probable timeframe for organizing a volunteer staff, a determination of all the equipment needed, a proposal for expenses with collection and billing services if billing is planned.

The committee also will be responsible for determining if the final resolution will include partnering with local squads/and or towns, outline policies and procedures for either a stand-alone squad (if that is the determination of the committee), or a plan of both a standardized operating procedure and managing organization for a joint squad yet to be created and an organized structure for a joint squad that needs to be created. Some other responsibilities of the committee are to list facility needs and adjust issues related to independent or shared cost if a shared agreement is chosen.

The target date for completion would be Jan 1, 2016. Milton First Aid Squad, Hamburg First Aid Squad, and Sparta First Aid Squad have agreed to cover Hardyston until a permanent solution is executed up until July 31, 2016.