Transcript for Piscataway Ems meeting on October 24 2022
Note: Transcripts are generated by rev.ai and may not be fully accurate. Please listen to the recording (below) if you feel any text is inaccurate.
Speaker 0 00:00:02 Recording in progress would be awesome, especially September. Cuz this is where I'm seeing the high volume in acuity right now. Speaker 1 00:00:09 I wish there was a month where we didn't have high volume, but it seems like going back in the EMS world and then the ED world, that's, this is kind of our new normal, right Kayla. So June we responded to a total of 327 requests for services. The average time response was 7 11 0 mutual aid that month. We also did zero standbys July, the number was 3 9 7 397. Average response time was 7 25. Three mutual aid requests in July and five standbys. August was 3 43 requests for service. 7 41 average response time, two mutual aids and two standbys. And September was backup to 389 requests for service. And that response average was 7 54, 7 54, 4 mutual aids and five standbys. So that's the four previous months. Speaker 0 00:01:15 Do you anticipate now that Plainfield is not taking their 300 to 400 calls monthly right now that the demand for mutual aid is going to skyrocket at this point? Because I heard, you know, there have, they're trying to figure out and negotiate to get these trucks out, but the surrounding towns are now trying to compensate for that. So I know at JFK's been responding also into Plainfield often. Do you anticipate that this, this is gonna be something that's more in the upcoming months? Speaker 1 00:01:45 So it, it's a good question and I think, you know, understanding that the ecosystem is completely interconnected is a great point. Kayla, and I'm sure Evan can speak to this as well, cuz Evan's doing a tremendous amount of work over there. Also, I would say that this is not a short term problem, this is a medium to long term problem. All I can do at, at this point is kind of give you the lay of the land, but the mutual aid response scheme consists of jfk, Union County, River Road, South, Plainfield Atlantic, and Warren Watchel at this point. And at, at this point, I can tell you that between those five squads that everything seems to be relatively well covered. There haven't been any requests for services that have gone unanswered. But at JFK we've certainly seen an appreciable difference in the amount of times we've been asked to go into Plainfield. And I think everybody is sort of feeling the same, including Union County, including River Road, South, Plainfield. So with Plainfield Rescue Squad out of service, it, it definitely left a good 50%, I would say 40 to 50% of all BLS requests in Plainfield going unanswered. But right now that mutual aid safety net seems to be holding relatively well. Speaker 2 00:02:55 Mark, just to, to go further on that, I believe it's Greg of the MTA and J pulled the, the DL statistics for EMTs that are employed in the state of New Jersey, those that are pulling down a paycheck every year, whether it be one hour worked or you know, full employment. And it's showing that while there is tens of thousands of active EMT cards in the state of New Jersey, it seems that there's less than 4,000 employed EMTs in the state itself. So, yeah. Yeah. I know you're part of MTA and J or Lisa, Mr. Ista, I believe is even holds a role there. Do you see this just getting worse because, you know, there seems to be a, a federal, you know, a national wide interest, you know, issue at this point. I believe they just put out a bipartisan bill at the federal level. The state has just signed legislation to help fix this problem. I mean, do, do you see this continuing to go the way Miss Green's speaking or, or do you see any end in sight where this suddenly gets better? Speaker 1 00:03:53 Unfortunately, I don't, I don't see any sight at all, Evan. And that's kind what we've been ringing the bell on, both internally in our own organization and externally, I can tell you that the trend that we're seeing is that for places that have not contracted for municipal BLS services, they seem to be rushing to try and get contracts in place for municipalities that already have contracts in place. And you have BLS services contractually obligated. I don't know that this will necessarily affect you in the same ways, but it certainly affects the ability to call on mutual aid. So for a place like Plainfield who's never had a municipal contract in place and who has relied heavily on mutual aid, places like that are certainly feeling the squeeze. And John Ista and I probably talked to three or four different towns every two weeks to kind of coach them on what that maybe could or should look like. But there, there are not a lot of resources out there at this point. And to add to your point, there's a dwindling number of EMTs being newly minted every year as well to the tune of, I believe 500 less every year for the past three years. So no, I, I don't see a cavalry coming. And the national shortage for EMS providers continues to be a very real problem. Speaker 3 00:05:05 Thank Speaker 2 00:05:05 You. With wages, Speaker 3 00:05:07 We're Speaker 2 00:05:07 Gonna, his wages, but we're trying, we're trying, you know, it's important to have facts and this, this is subject matter expert, he's, he's invited, here's Speaker 3 00:05:17 The subject matter to Piscataway. Speaker 2 00:05:20 I mean, so if the whole system is experiencing Aithal and there aren't people, then, then my, my next question was be for Mr. Boer, you know, come four years from now and you can feel free to abstain from giving any, any answer. I mean, would this not affect the bottom line of what the town's gonna have to put out? Because wages have gone up 5, 6, 7, $8 an hour and fuel holds more than doubled. And that was, you know, what I was looking at. So that we as a community can, you know, appropriately plan, that's the point of this meeting. Speaker 1 00:05:50 Well, I think plane or I'm sorry, I think Piscataway did a very proactive thing. I think anticipating a need, not just for the average number of jobs, but for jobs on busy days as well. You know, I think it raised some eyebrows when the RFP went out for three full trucks. And since that time it's proven to be a very smart thing because bus getaway has sort of been in the driver's seat about who they provide mutual aid to through us. But I think for now at least, you know, provided it's a similar rfp, it should cover relatively well the needs of the volume in Piscataway and, and I think it's not only able to meet the needs now, but it could also be forward facing and, and just as smart then in come four years as long as there aren't appreciable changes in the population. Speaker 4 00:06:36 Thanks Mark. Speaker 3 00:06:37 Thank you. Any other unfinished business? Speaker 2 00:06:43 The last meeting I had asked though, when we planned to resume in person meetings so that we can better plan as members of this organ group, it was stated by then Chief Moser that was up to the Mayor. We were just wondering if the Mayor had any directions so we can appropriate plan for in-person, in-person meeting. Speaker 4 00:07:05 Evan, I haven't heard yet from the Mayor, but I will check back with him and, and let Mr. Parrot know. Speaker 2 00:07:13 Thank you so much Mr. Baker. Speaker 3 00:07:15 Thank you. Any other unfinished business? A new business? The only thing I have here is to set the meeting dates for next year. We're required to have a meeting in January, April, July and October. What I did was I picked the last Monday of every month in those months, except for October, I just preemptively moved that one to a week early. So it didn't conflict with Halloween at all, was around that week. So I have January 30th, April 24th, July 31st, and October 23rd. There's a motion to set the next meeting date to at least January 30th. And we can put those dates as well in our calendar. Speaker 2 00:08:03 Can we include the, the times as well? Because I, I don't think this time is sustainable for the vast majority of us. And I believe all the paid municipal employees here are all salary. I believe. I could be wrong. We have managers, we have nurses, we have career EMTs, we have small business owners. And just be nice to mirror the, the rest of the meetings in the town such as zoning, board, planning board and the council meetings. Speaker 5 00:08:33 Tim, correct me if I'm wrong, but we already changed this to move it later to three 30, wasn't it originally at two? Speaker 3 00:08:42 We did. And that's so accommodate Evan. Speaker 4 00:08:45 And, and also to avoid conflicts with all those other meetings that are going on in the Township that many of us have to attend. Speaker 6 00:08:55 So that it also was to accommodate me. I work full time, so I take vacation time to be here and there was someone else, another public employee that has to take time to be here. Speaker 2 00:09:08 Yeah, I'm, I'm no longer gonna be able to maintain this either. Speaker 3 00:09:12 Well, as the meetings are still on Zoom, Do you want to keep to three 30 for the zoom meeting and then relook at this issue once the public meetings open up and see what the schedule is for the town council and we'll go from there. Speaker 2 00:09:28 We're all taking time to be here out of our, we're we're literally putting in vacation time to be at this meeting. Speaker 3 00:09:36 I understand. I I'm looking for a motion to set the dates. If, if that includes the times. Let's set the dates right now and then if someone wishes to bring up a motion to set the times to change all the meetings next year, Let's do that. I'll move that. We set the dates so that the, the Jim gave us and set it at three 30. And we have to move as we, Speaker 7 00:09:58 We just said we weren't gonna set the times, we were just gonna set the dates. So is is the motion for the dates or is the motion gonna be for both? Speaker 3 00:10:06 Well, the motion for the dates at the same time. Mr. Dci? Yes. Dates the time. We, we, we move the meeting once. Accommodate Evan, We can't move the meetings every time Evan changes his job or something. Well, Mr. Scarpa, Speaker 2 00:10:19 It's not just me, but, okay, thanks. Speaker 7 00:10:22 But I, I find it to be almost cavalier that the civilians on this group have to take time off of their work to be able to be part of this committee. And our statement when we change the meeting times would, was that we would revisit the time as we move forward. Now if we're moving into the 2023 calendar, this would be the time to revisit. You know, I'm a small business owner. I'm a high school teacher. My time is my time, you know, I can do at night, but during the day I'm in the middle of teaching. You want me to just stop and sit on a zoom? Speaker 3 00:10:57 Well, one of the issues was there's so many people that are key to this meeting. So we, we had an early meeting originally because a lot of Township employees, a lot of work goes behind the scenes and it's when we're working. So we move the time back to three 30 to kind of meet in the middle. So if you move to five o'clock or seven o'clock, other people may have issues as well. But that's up to the advisory council to decide what time to have it. Mr. Dacey has it a motion on the floor to set the dates, The ones I said earlier at the same times we currently have. If there's an additional motion after this one, we can change the dates going forward. Is there a second on Mr. Daisy's motion to set? The next dates? January 30th, April 24th, July 31st and October 23rd. Speaker 5 00:11:46 I second that. Speaker 3 00:11:48 Captain pch. All in favor. Speaker 2 00:11:52 Captain PCH is not a voting member. She is not the chief of police and I do not believe that we have an acting chief at this time. Speaker 3 00:12:02 Mr. Speaker 8 00:12:03 Pil is acting as the head of the department for administration and Captain Morrison is for operations. Captain pch. Captain Morrison are both working as a temporary chief. Evan, Speaker 3 00:12:16 It's in the, in the ordinances, the chief or designee. Speaker 2 00:12:20 Okay, Speaker 3 00:12:23 There's a motion on the floor and there's a second. All in favor of the meeting dates for next year. Say aye please. Speaker 8 00:12:29 Aye. Speaker 3 00:12:30 Aye. And all opposed Speaker 0 00:12:34 The times are the dates. That's what I wanna make Speaker 3 00:12:37 Sure we'll make a motion for the dates, any appropriate dates, Speaker 0 00:12:40 But I agree with the dates. Speaker 2 00:12:42 Well the motion was dates and times, so we keep going in circles here. Speaker 3 00:12:46 It's keeping the same times. If you wanna make another motion, we can do that. That was Mr. Daisy's motion that we're voting on right now. And the motion passes with the, with the dates I provided. I'll send out an email within the next few weeks with the new dates. Is there any other new business? Speaker 2 00:13:03 Okay, well then I would like to make a motion to change the times. Speaker 3 00:13:07 Okay. Any discussion or any, Is there a second? Speaker 2 00:13:12 I second. Speaker 3 00:13:13 Farmer, Speaker 4 00:13:14 What time are we changing to, Speaker 2 00:13:23 Well, I mean the town's at 7:00 PM so I mean let's match everyone else. You know, we're staying on Zoom. It would seem for the foreseeable future until the Mayor has a different direction. So let's just match everything else. We don't have to worry about space. Speaker 4 00:13:40 You, you do have to worry about conflict with other meetings that folks may have to go to. Speaker 8 00:13:46 Yeah, I do. I do six or seven night meetings per month that I cover on various dates and a library. Board meetings are always on the third Monday, so there is an immediate conflict. Speaker 7 00:13:57 Would six o'clock be more beneficial to the committee? Speaker 2 00:14:04 I'm glad it meant to 6:00 PM Speaker 7 00:14:06 These meetings take no longer than an hour. These meetings haven't gone more than 40 minutes since we've started. So the idea of having a seven o'clock meeting right after this, you know, that's the way the, the salary works. So, Speaker 3 00:14:21 And then what is your motion? Speaker 2 00:14:24 We can, we can amend the motion to 6:00 PM Speaker 3 00:14:27 Okay. And is that for the January meeting or while Speaker 2 00:14:30 Yeah, before all future meetings. Speaker 3 00:14:32 All future meetings in person and on scene. Speaker 2 00:14:35 Sure. Speaker 3 00:14:36 You said seven o'clock, sir? Speaker 2 00:14:38 6:00 PM Speaker 3 00:14:39 Oh sorry. 6:00 PM I apologize. Speaker 2 00:14:41 No, it's okay. Thank you sir. Speaker 3 00:14:42 And was there a second? Speaker 2 00:14:46 I second Speaker 3 00:14:46 Ms. Farmer. Okay, any other discussion? Okay, as Motion, afford to change all future EMS advisory Council meetings to 6:00 PM on the dates that are scheduled for next year. All in favor? Speaker 2 00:15:05 Aye. Yes. I Speaker 3 00:15:08 So all opposed we'll do a call vote. I heard Captain told say no as well. Mr. Dacey, how do you vote? Hello, Ms. Lombardi. Is she on here yet? Ms. Green? Speaker 0 00:15:37 Yes. Speaker 3 00:15:41 Ms. Farmer? Speaker 9 00:15:42 Yes. Speaker 3 00:15:45 Mr. Sadowski? Speaker 2 00:15:47 Yes. Speaker 3 00:15:58 Is Ozzy on here? Speaker 2 00:16:03 I don't believe so. I think he had some sort of family emergency. I've been trying to get a hold him for a few days, Speaker 3 00:16:07 Correct? No, Scarper didn't vote. We're just doing account here. I'm sorry. I have Captain PCH was a no. And Mr. Dacey was a no. Speaker 9 00:16:18 Is a yes. Coroner Speaker 3 00:16:20 Is, yes. And Mr. Dacey is a yes as well. So the motion passes three to two. All future meeting the EMS advisory council scheduled to 6:00 PM Are there any other new business, Ms. Green? Speaker 0 00:16:40 So I'm gonna go out on a limb hearing, but I'd like to make a motion for North Stelton to meet with Piscataway Township in JFK within the timeline of a month from today to allow for conversation between entities about EMS and Piscataway. Honestly, North Dalton's time is limited. We can't maintain membership without calls, but not just number of calls, but the nature of calls taking 9 1 1 calls allows for members to gain experience and with staffing being an issue everywhere and volume and acuity being high, we've been waiting, we've been doing this for 13 months, staying, staying within the boundaries and the rules and trying to work together. But I'd like to put a timeline on this and be able to actually meet so that we could have a conversation, because that doesn't happen. Speaker 3 00:17:28 So my only question would be is if this passes, would this be binding and JFK and the, and the department be required to meet? Speaker 0 00:17:38 That's what I would hope to have happen is because we keep getting push back and back and back and we're running out of time here. So, I mean, North Stall is a wonderful organization and you know, the people, people there work really hard and I, you know, I volunteer while working full-time and raising two kids. And I'd like to have a meeting to try to get into like what Edison has. You know, we've asked for that closest available research evidence-based practice and we just keep getting obstacle after obstacle and it's kind of, it's hard. So I'm just looking for guidance. I may not be wording it right, but that's why I'm looking at you guys for help. Speaker 4 00:18:11 I'm Jim, Let, let me jump in there. Since we can only rec the agency can only recommend it. Can't direct or enforce. I don't think you need a, a motion. I think you, we have Tim here. We have Mark here. We just have to say Tim. Mark, can you guys commit to meeting with the North Stelton folks sometime in the next month? Not committing you to outcomes, but to sit down and talk? Speaker 8 00:18:36 Yeah, absolutely. Let's just set it up with Captain PS Mark and Mark and Jim and Caleb, coordinator Captain Ps we'll get a date, we'll meet. Speaker 0 00:18:46 So my devil's advocate here is what if that does not happen? So we've been asking to meet for, like to meet since Chief Moser isn't here right now, you know, and not gonna come back. So we've been asking for a meeting prior to even having this council meeting because we need to know the direction of North Stelton EMS and what those lines are. How do I ensure that this meeting will happen? And it's not being disrespectful, Please don't take it that way. I Speaker 8 00:19:12 Will make, I coordinate, coordinate with Captain P and she'll get a date that we can all get together. No problem meeting with you. I'm sure Mark doesn't be there. Speaker 0 00:19:22 Mark a month is acceptable. Speaker 4 00:19:24 Mark, was that a no, I'm not gonna meet or no, there's no problem meeting. Speaker 1 00:19:28 No problem meeting as long as it's what Piscataway wants. We are there Speaker 2 00:19:35 As devil's advocate, if we're doing this for Stelton and as Mr. Boer spoken to and we work perfectly fine with JFK outside of Piscataway, will this meeting include both remaining squads in this Township? Speaker 8 00:19:46 It's gonna be with North Stelton right now. Evan, Speaker 2 00:19:51 Is there a reason that is not in the benefit of the Township and EMS as a whole, after everything was just heard and discussed that River Road is not allowed to work with jfk. Speaker 0 00:20:01 So right now then you can still take calls and you still have these things going on. North Stelton isn't having the same opportunities that you have that we are a tax funded resource. So right now, like North Stelton fate as to what's gonna happen by the end of the year is really on the line right now. And that's what it means. It doesn't take away that you're any less important, but right now we can't do what you're doing. We can't just go in and do whatever we want with these trucks. Like we're trying to help and we've been trying to do what we need to. But right now the difference is that we are tax funding and we have rules and boundaries that we have to follow right now. Speaker 2 00:20:40 And I understand what you're saying, but respectfully, respectfully, it doesn't make sense for us to come from a base in Piscataway to go through Piscataway to go to other municipalities when the system could use the closest available ambulance for everyone. It unduly puts our providers, our vehicles, and everyone around us at undue risk when there is calls around us. So I appreciate your situation, but our goal truly here, it's not to beat a chest or to put anyone down, it's, you know, using the closest available resource, which we all agreed upon. And I, I do hope that Stellan finds success. We all do. That's our goal here. But we would like to continue to work, you know, with our partners at Stellan and with the Township to serve the residents that built our building and, and you know, give us funds as a donation. So that, that's really the way we're looking at it. Kayla, It's, it's not to take from one or another, it's just to work with JFK at the fullest extent of the contract. And unfortunately or fortunately, it's the Township that dictates how that contracts applied for both of us. Speaker 4 00:21:42 Hey, thank you for explaining how you're different. The parties have committed to meeting with you within the month. Captain Pitch, would you mind reaching out to Kayla? Speaker 5 00:21:53 I'll get in touch with Speaker 4 00:21:54 Her. Great. Thank you. Speaker 3 00:21:56 Thank you. Thank you Green. Any other new business? The next advisory council dates we set up. I'll send out the meeting minutes. We'll have all the dates for next year. The next meeting is gonna be January 30th at 6:00 PM on Zoom as of right now. Speaker 4 00:22:20 Great. Thanks Jim. Speaker 3 00:22:23 You Speaker 2 00:22:24 Everyone adjourn. Speaker 3 00:22:25 We're gonna open this to the Speaker 2 00:22:28 About Speaker 3 00:22:32 Just one second, get some paper. Speaker 3 00:22:41 Now is the time for public comment. If any member of the public wishes to speak, please raise your hands. This can be done by either on the Zoom app, by pressing on the Zoom app or by pressing star nine on your phone. I will unmute members of the public individually if they have their hand raised. When it is your turn to speak, you will get a prompt or request to unmute. Please click on the prompt or press star six on your phone to unmute yourself at that time. Please state your name and address and know that you will have three minutes in order to which to make your comments. The EMS advisory committee or administration will respond if necessary after you have completed any comments or questions. Okay, It's open. I don't see any hands. I have no hands. Is there, is there a motion to adjourn Mr. Dacey? Without objection. All right. 1604 hours. Thank you everyone. I'll see you in January. Speaker 9 00:23:46 All right, Thank you everyone. Happy holiday. Thank you.