Flemington-Raritan First Aid and Rescue Squad

11/23/2025

This week and weekend, seven FRFARS members joined over 1,000 EMS professionals at The National Conference on EMS in Atlantic City, NJ. The event brought together EMS professionals, including EMTs, paramedics, nurses, physicians, educators, and colleagues from fire, law enforcement, and emergency management to share knowledge and strengthen skills.

Members attended numerous classes and lectures with both weekday and weekend sessions available. A wide variety of topics were available, including patient care, education, leadership, EMT wellness, emergency management, and others. Of note was a panel discussion between the Directors of Emergency Medical Services for several states (New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, and New Hampshire) on current challenges and changes in EMS today.

The National Conference on EMS is one of two major training trips our squad participated in this year, alongside the Virginia Rescue Challenge—all in addition to regular drills, CEU classes, NAEMT courses, access to the Hunterdon County Emergency Services Training Center, and more. At FRFARS, we pride ourselves on providing the best continuing education and training opportunities for our team.

Want to be part of a team that never stops learning, growing, and training? Join us at www.frfars.org/join.

11/16/2025

Yesterday, six members of the Rescue Squad completed the Sloped Floor Shores and Collapse Rescue Shoring Review at the Hunterdon County Emergency Services Training Center.

This twelve hour course builds on the collapse rescue shoring skills learned previously in the thirty-two hour Collapse Rescue Operations course. Members constructed two post spot shores, two post vertical shores, and a laced post shore, before moving on to Type II and Type III sloped floor shores. The sloped floor shores are used in cases where portions of a building are resting at an angle too steep to effectively shore with box cribbing or vertical shores.

EMT Dave Somers, FF/EMT Brian Dettra, FF/EMT James Breuer, FF/EMT Brett Colavito, FF/EMT Melissa Kinoian and FF/EMT Zach Waseleski all completed the training. Rescue Capt Gary Breuer and FF Bob Schilp helped present the class as HCESTC instructors.

THE TRAINING NEVER ENDS...

11/12/2025

Each month, the Squad hosts a variety of drills and trainings, focused on topics such as EMS, Rescue, or skills for our newer members working towards becoming one of two qualified EMTs on an ambulance. This month's drill for newer members went "back to basics" and focused on cardiac arrest management.

Participants were responsible for performing effective chest compressions, managing an airway with appropriate adjuncts, clearing the airway with mechanical suction or other tools as needed, and ventilating appropriately. For the purposes of this training, manual CPR was performed without the aid of mechanical chest compression devices.

Each iteration was allowed to continue for 30 minutes, simulating the amount of time these skills may be used in the field.

11/11/2025

Earlier this fall, several Squad members completed the NAEMT Tactical Emergency Casualty Care (TECC) course, hosted by Hunterdon Medical Center and taught by HMC ALS providers. The TECC curriculum is currently being updated, with the 3rd Edition (TECC‑3) preparing for global release. The HMC offering was the very first pilot to use this new edition, with NAEMT representatives on hand to observe. This distinction places our members among the first EMTs worldwide to be trained under TECC‑3.

TECC prepares EMTs and paramedics to provide care in civilian tactical environments, such as terrorism, active shooter, or mass casualty situations. Students learn how to operate effectively in hot (direct threat), warm (indirect threat), and cold (evacuation) zones. While we hope to never see these types of events in our community, preparedness is nevertheless valuable.

Across two intensive days, participants practiced a wide range of critical skills, including hemorrhage control, rapid tourniquet application, MARCH assessments, treatment strategies for injured responders in threat settings, pediatric considerations, and patient movement techniques.

Students also learned about the uses and benefits of several advanced life support (ALS) interventions performed by hospital-affiliated paramedics in the field, such as needle decompression, advanced airway management, surgical airway procedures, and IV/IO access. While EMTs do not perform these interventions, understanding their purpose and physiology allows for more informed decision-making in tactical situations.

The training culminated in a full-scale scenario simulating an EMS and law enforcement response to an active shooter and mass‑casualty incident.

Members participating in the training included EMT Chris Schrenk, EMT Collin Merz, EMT Tyler Sarich, EMT Miles Alderman, EMT Emma Hill, and EMS Captain Andrew Glowacki.

Thank you to the instructional team at Hunterdon Health for excellent training and education.

11/11/2025

On November 2, 2025, the Rescue Squad and HealthQuest Fitness Club once again hosted the 7th Annual Rescue Truck Pull.

Thirteen teams of up to 12 competitors worked to pull the 68,000 pound Heavy Rescue 495 across an approximately 50 yard course - slightly uphill - competing for the fastest time.

The event was open to the general public, and participants from all walks of life formed teams. HealthQuest's personal training staff recruited and led seven of the teams, and four teams were formed from emergency services departments: Amwell Valley Ambulance Corps , Lambertville-New Hope Ambulance & Rescue Squad , Flemington Flemington Volunteer Fire Department , and of course, the Squad's own team.

This year, the Squad's own team consisted of FF/EMTs Kyle Varin, Gavin Stager, Nick Brunetti, Linda Nemec, James Breuer, Andrew Glowacki, Coral Sellers, and EMTs Collin Merz, Dave Somers, Kate Moran, Jen Hebert, and Sandra Mikuta.

A smaller version of the event, the Kids' Pull, was open to school aged children.

Thank You to our hosts at HealthQuest for once again working together to deliver an excellent Truck Pull. Special Thanks to Hunterdon Health for Sponsoring this year's event.

Thank you to everyone who attended - we look forward to seeing you all next year.

(Photos courtesy of FRFARS, HealthQuest, and Max Harrington)

11/01/2025

Happy Halloween!

Today and several times over the past month, Squad personnel attended local Trick-or-Treat and Trunk-or-Treat events.

Thank you to everyone who stopped to say hello to our candy crews!

10/29/2025

TRUCK PULL THIS SUNDAY NOV 2

The 7th annual Rescue Truck Pull returns to HealthQuest in Raritan Township this Sunday November 2nd (check-in opens at 9:00 AM, first pull at 10:00 AM). There will be plenty to see and do for the whole family and Truck Pull is open to the general public.

Spectators are always free!

Register now for the Truck Pull or for the Kids' Pull (for 5 to 12 years of age) at www.truckpull.info

10/19/2025

The Rescue Squad attended the Lowe's Home Improvement store's Public Safety Day yesterday in Raritan Township. Thanks to everyone who stopped by and met with our crews.

10/19/2025

The Rescue Squad's Rescue Services Unit drill last week focused on patient packaging, specifically working with the LUCAS CPR device and the different stretchers that the Rescue Squad has to move a patient over rough terrain or from an above or below grade locations. Several different ways of securing the patient in the basket stretchers were practiced until the best combination was figured out that was the fastest and most secure to accomplish while still allowing the LUCAS device to operate properly.

THE TRAINING NEVER ENDS...

10/13/2025

The Flemington - Raritan First Aid & Rescue Squad is looking for an Emergency Medical Technician - Deputy Operations Supervisor.

The Rescue Squad responds to more than 3500 calls per year, using a combination model of career and volunteer staffing. The Squad utilizes state of the art EMS equipment like Stryker Power Load stretchers and stair chairs, LUCAS CPR devices and modern, well-maintained and well-equipped ambulances.

The position will remain open through 1800 Hours Friday 24 October 2025. For inquiries or to apply for this position, reply to operationssupervisor@frfars.org

10/05/2025

SEPTEMBER MONTHLY REPORT

During the month of September, the Rescue Squad responded to 296 emergency incidents. This compares with 290 calls during September 2024 (a 2% increase). From January 1st to September 30th, the Squad has responded to 2692 calls. For the year so far, calls are up about 4.7% over 2024. Vehicle responses are up 3.95% (3098 year to date), patient contacts are up 7.27% (2419 YTD), and patient transports are up 8.75% (1888 YTD).

The breakdown of calls by municipality for September was as follows:
Flemington Borough - 70
Raritan Township - 204
Readington Township - 1
Delaware Township - 10
East Amwell Township - 4
Kingwood Township - 3
City of Lambertville - 1
Franklin Township - 1

In order to handle the calls during September, the Rescue Squad made 348 vehicle responses, compared to 310 in September 2024 (5.1% increase). Some types of incidents require more than one ambulance, rescue or specialty vehicle to respond. Squad Emergency Medical Technicians interacted with and treated 257 patients during September, up slightly from 255 patients during September 2024 (.08% increase). 202 patients were transported by Rescue Squad ambulances to medical facilities, compared to 198 patients during September 2024 (an increase of .02%). Volunteer members contributed 1031 hours of duty time during September, with our career staff providing an additional 1908 hours during the month. This duty crew system allows the Rescue Squad to staff an ambulance 24 hours a day, with two or three staffed ambulances on duty during peak call hours.

During the month of September, the Rescue Squad participated in the Raritan Township Community Day and the RTFC September 11th Stair Climb at Hunterdon Medical Center. EMS stand-bys were also provided for Hunterdon Central Regional High School home football games and several other community events. An ICS-200 course was presented in-house for our members, along with several EMS and Rescue drills.

The emergency responses continue to rise, as they have over many years. We are always looking for new members to help us serve the community. Check out www.frfars.org/joinnow for more information.

The Flemington-Raritan First Aid & Rescue Squad is equipped with five state-of-the-art 911 BLS ambulances and several specialized rescue and support units

10/05/2025

On Saturday 4 October, members of the Flemington-Raritan Rescue Squad, South Branch Emergency Services, and Whitehouse Rescue Squad met at the Hunterdon County Emergency Services Training Center to practice some techniques for dealing with motor vehicle crashes involving heavy vehicles.

Personnel reviewed the procedures for dealing with heavy vehicles involved in under-ride / over-ride type crashes. Multiple scenarios were worked through, including a side under-ride, a pedestrian pinned beneath the trailer tandems, and a vehicle pinned vertically between a Jersey wall and the side of a tractor trailer (recreating a crash that occurred in Bucks County PA last month). Lifting and stabilizing the truck is not an easy task, as it is loaded with several concrete waste blocks and a whole bunch of old truck tires, providing a very realistic load for lifting operations.

The personnel from the three agencies worked together to mitigate the scenarios. These three agencies represent the core rescue component of the Hunterdon County Urban Search & Rescue Task Force. Some of these scenarios, out on the highway, might also include the use of heavy duty wreckers from private recovery companies that we often work together with...but the scenarios for this training had to be solved with equipment carried aboard the three rescue vehicles.

These scenarios may seem impossible, that there's no way this could happen - Right up until the moment that they actually occur. Difficult, realistic training helps prepare rescuers for what they might encounter in the field one day.

THE TRAINING NEVER ENDS...