South Amboy First Aid Squad

01/26/2026

With yesterday’s snowstorm,

🚨 SAFA initiated a 24-hour standby beginning at 5:00 AM on 1/25/26 and concluding at 5:00 AM on 1/26/26.

🚑 During this standby, SAFA staffed two crews at all times, with additional personnel available should extra hands have been needed.

🧍‍♂️🧍‍♀️ Our standby consisted of 10 members who rotated crews throughout the standby. Each crew was staffed with four members at a time.

❄️ Throughout the standby, SAFA was dispatched to six medical emergency calls.

🙂 We are happy to report there were no motor vehicle accidents on the slippery, snow-covered roads!

📢 Dispatches #1–5: SAFA provided emergency care to all patients, and all were transported to local area hospitals.
📢 Dispatch #6: This was a mutual aid request; SAFA Unit 602 was canceled prior to patient contact.

💙 We would like to thank all of our dedicated members for their time and service.
🧡 We would also like to thank everyone who stayed safe & off the roads during the weather advisory.
🚒 Special thanks to Protection Eng. 6 () for coming out to help SAFA with snow removal to get a patient out of their home, we appreciate you & all your help!

☃️ We hope everyone enjoyed the snow!

📸 Pictured here are SAFA ambulances 602 and 606 at HMH Perth Amboy Hospital at the same time!

01/25/2026

01/25/2026

Thank you to our friends at Old Bridge Township EMS for the tips and reminder

As we brace for the upcoming winter storm, we want to remind our followers of simple tips to help keep you and us safe:

- Call 911 ONLY for true emergencies. Such as Motor Vehicle Accidents, sudden onset Respiratory or Cardiac issues, Stroke, Seizures, etc. We want to be available for those who truly need us. Calling 911 because you have "Flu-like symptoms" or for something that's been "Going on for a while" burdens already busy/crowded ambulances and emergency rooms. This only get exacerbated in potential blizzard conditions that we have to drive in to get to you.
- If you DO require EMS, please clear a path up to the front door for our crews, stretcher and other equipment, if possible. This helps us out TREMENDOUSLY.
- The closest appropriate emergency department will be utilized for transport. This is even more practical in bad road conditions. We don't want to have to drive a farther distance any more than you would want to, unless a further hospital is absolutely necessary, based on the current issue.
- If there is a power failure, DO NOT CALL 911 to inquire restoration times. Contact your provider.
- If utilizing space heaters, have them plugged directly into wall outlets, NOT power strips due to risk of fire hazard. And keep them away from flammable materials.
- Generators should NEVER be used in an enclosed space due to CO exposure risks. Place them outside and away from structures/windows.
- Stay home and stay warm. Keep vehicles in driveways and avoid travel. Let our public works and emergency services do their thing without extra obstacles.
-Check on elderly neighbors to make sure they are safe and have what they need.

We hope everyone remains safe during this storm. Your OBTEMS providers will still be here for you as quickly as we can throughout and beyond.

01/15/2026

🚑 Ambulance Transport Clarification🚑

There seems to be some confusion regarding patients dictating where our ambulance must transport them. We’d like to clarify how this works.

Under New Jersey EMS standards, ambulances transport patients to the closest appropriate emergency department based on medical need.
Patient preference alone, including “I always go there” or “my doctor is there” does not require EMS to go to a farther hospital. A good example of this is if you fall and hurt your ankle, just because your cardiologist is at a specialty hospital does not mean that is the closest appropriate facility for your current issue.

For most emergencies, that means you will be transported to our area hospitals; Old Bridge Medical Center, Bayshore Medical Center or Raritan Bay Medical Center in Perth Amboy depending on your geographic location. All three are fully capable, state certified emergency departments.

As the EMS provider for our 1.5 square mile town, unnecessary long transports can leave our residents without an available ambulance for the next emergency that arises. That could cost someone their life.

🚨 When specialty care is medically required (Certain stroke calls & cardiac calls, major trauma, burns, maternity, etc.), patients are transported to the appropriate specialty center along side Advance Life Support (Paramedic) services. Which are usually Jersey Shore, Robert Wood Johnson, or JFK.

If there is no medical need to go farther, options include:
• Closest appropriate hospital by ambulance
• Private vehicle
• Declining ambulance transport

This is legal, medically appropriate, and standard across New Jersey EMS.

Thank you for supporting us, in our efforts to provide the best care possible for all our residents.

01/04/2026

Congratulations to the following for achieving the status of Emergency Medical Technician prior to the New Year! REGULAR MEMBER Avinash Yadavalli & CADET MEMBER Nick Tierney both obtained their EMTs just a few days before the turn of 2026!

Regular Member Avinash Yadavalli plans to gain knowledge and experience in emergency pre-hospital medicine as he studies his way through to becoming a physician in the future! Pre-hospital medicine is a great foundation to build from and is best to learn how to operate under pressure.

Cadet Member Nick Tierney is interested in becoming a Firefighter in the future and also will be gaining valuable experience in emergency services with SAFA.

Congratulations again to these two new EMTs for completing their courses and becoming both state and nationally certified! They both will hit the road and begin their training with our Squad’s more experienced EMTs to become the independent providers they were meant to be.

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Are you interested in becoming an EMT? Find yourself guiding patients and calming those who worry. It’s more than just giving back to the community. It’s a passion and a dynamic field that creates a more compassionate and secure community. It’s guiding those who believe that the end is near. It’s ensuring survival, a second chance. Become South Amboy’s face of pre-hospital medicine. Join. Volunteer. Serve. This is your call. Will you answer it?

12/07/2025

SAFA 606, 602, and 605 joined SAFD and SAPD in the City of South Amboy’s annual Christmas Tree Lighting and Parade! With the Grinch and Santa present, we were happy that we didn’t need to treat either during the event 👀. To another great year South Amboy! 🎉🥳

Thank you to everyone who came out to represent the Squad this year! Special thank you to those that assisted in decorating our ambulances! ✨✨

10/28/2025

Last night on Monday, October 27, two new members were administered the Squad’s Oath to Service by our Squad President, Rob Sekerak. We congratulate newly instated CADET MEMBER Jaiden Patrizl and REGULAR MEMBER Andrew Hathcock into our Squad!

On top of our two new members joining us, we’d like to point out that it has been a while since we had a packed meeting like last night! Let this be a reminder that no matter how much we may struggle in numbers or effort, better times are always ahead of us. A massive THANK YOU to those who make the decision to dedicate valuable time to others!

10/26/2025

An accident has occurred on the ambulance 😱 😱❗️❗️

Just kidding! Members of the Squad decorated our 606 Ambulance for the City of South Amboy’s Annual Halloween Parade! Following that, our members attended the Trunk or Treat where we brought an example of what happens to kids who don’t listen to their parents!🤭 (No skeletons were harmed during the event)

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With Halloweekened approaching, please be mindful of YOUR safety and those around you. A curfew has been set for October 29-31, from 7:00 PM - 6:00 AM. To better ensure and secure the safety of everyone, you may find some of our vehicles patrolling the streets with use of emergency lights. This is a common practice to keep everyone safe!

And NEVER forget to have fun🫵🤪‼️

10/05/2025

The Squad extends its congratulations to Life Member Michael Pappas for achieving the rank of Senior Chief Petty Officer! Mike Pappas has been a longtime member of the Squad and is currently on furlough to continue carrying out his military service.

Congratulations Mike! The Squad will always be right behind you.

09/15/2025

On Saturday, our 602 ambulance joined SAFD in a parade and competition down in Wildwood for the annual NJ State Fireman’s Convention! South Amboy Fire & First Aid had been preparing for this day for weeks, cleaning our apparatus before showing day! Final touch-ups were made just hours before the parade. All efforts were worth it because SAFA 602 won first place for best ambulance! The Squad would also like to congratulate our partners over at SAFD for winning 2nd best Color Guard and winning the Judge’s Trophy!

With just about a quarter of the year left, the Squad would like to extend our deepest gratitude to not only our hard-working members, but also to Fire Chief-1, Chief Rafael Albarran for his unwavering support to the Squad and the community we serve. Let’s bring it home, Chief!

Special thanks to the following for touching up the ambulance before the parade:
• Christine Salmon
• Daniel “DJ” Salmon
• Taylor Salmon
• Matt Coyle
• Laura Sackerman
• Nick Tierney

Squad Representatives:
• Davey Cheng
• Jonasz Knapik
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09/05/2025

We are excited to announce the great success of two of our Cadet Members in completing an EMT Course and obtaining their Emergency Medical Technician certifications! Huge congratulations to Vijay Balaji ( #2 photo) and Vikesh Patel ( #3 photo)! Originally from Edison, NJ, these two found their way to the South Amboy First Aid Squad after encountering difficulty with other Squads near them. Vijay and Vikesh both attended the Bayshore Youth Competition for South Amboy back in June of this year! They represented South Amboy early in their membership and they will continue their journey in EMS with us.

The South Amboy First Aid & Safety Squad is always looking for more volunteers to assist in our goal of protecting and serving the citizens of South Amboy and more! We cannot do it without the support of the City of South Amboy and the dedication of our consistent members. A job that is never easy, is a job that we will always do. Make the impact. Join the South Amboy First Aid Squad. Visit our website @ southamboyfirstaid.org for more information.

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08/06/2025

The South Amboy First Aid Squad joined members of the South Amboy Fire Department, South Amboy Emergency Management, and multiple other community organizations in this year’s City of South Amboy’s National Night Out event. Tonight was full of Squad recruitment, community engagement, and a night to hang out! Children toured various organization apparatus and engaged with organization leaders. A beautiful get-together on a calm night.

Tonight is all the more proof of the capabilities of a tight-knit community. We are diverse, we are of various backgrounds, we are of different cultures; yet we are South Amboy. Thank you to everyone who came out. We always love an opportunity to meet with our community and fellow service members outside of our usual basis. We may be small, but we always send a big message ❤️🧡❤️