EMERSON—Inadequate facilities at a borough-owned house on Locust Avenue and the recreation center will be reconfigured and enhanced to allow personnel from the Emerson Volunteer Ambulance Corps to spend long day shifts or sleep overnight when necessary.
So said Mayor Danielle DiPaola and Borough Administrator Robert Hermansen at the governing body’s Oct. 5 meeting, after hearing from corps members on their issues with the status quo — including a decline in recruitment.
“We are very open to helping all of you,” said DiPaola, who urged corps members to be the “squeaky wheel” and bring issues to the attention of the mayor and council.
DiPaola said Emerson Volunteer Ambulance Corps (EVAC) members should work with DPW Director Perry Solimando to make the temporary facilities more amenable to their immediate needs.
Hermansen said he was not fully aware, until the meeting, of the extent of concerns the borough’s volunteer ambulance corps had with their temporary facilities.
Currently, ambulance rigs are being housed at the DPW headquarters, although no lockers are on site for personnel — and neither were showers nor cots provided, corps members said Oct. 5.
The other temporary housing facilities on Locust Avenue and the rec center were provided when the former ambulance quarters, in the Block 419 redevelopment zone, was deeded to Emerson Redevelopers Urban Renewal for its 147-unit mixed use downtown project, which was part of an agreement inked by the Louis Lamatina administration.
In exchange for the deed, the redeveloper was to provide $500,000 in construction services to the borough for an ambulance building elsewhere.
However, due to the developer’s requirement that the borough provide a future design for the facility by the end of 2019 — which the borough did not meet — the developer has refused to provide the payment.
The matter is being contested in Superior Court in Hackensack, with the borough and developer blaming each other for the dispute.
Meanwhile, new facilities for the ambulance corps are being added to design plans for an improved and expanded Borough Hall, where improvements for the police and court functions also are long overdue.
At least two EVAC officials appeared at the Oct. 5 meeting and told the mayor and council of the need for better overnight accommodations as well as facilities for washing up and daytime lodging while members wait for emergency calls on a 12- or 24-hour shift.
“This governing body did not get rid of your building,” DiPaola said during the half-hour discussion. She said the corps members were allowed access to a borough-owned home on Locust Avenue for temporary quarters, with bathroom and shower facilities.
However, that building was used only for storage by corps members and not for temporary quarters or showers, noted the mayor.
Solimando said that corps officials were initially given keys to both the house and the recreation center. Officials said the house had a shower and kitchen, but the rec center only had bathrooms and no shower facilities.
Solimando noted the water in the home was turned off when corps officers decided the home was best used for storage and yet the borough was still being billed for monthly water charges.
One corps member said they currently have four members from outside Emerson who have no place to stay for a shift as both the house and rec center have no comfortable chairs nor television for members to watch while on shift.
Another member said overnight accommodations were most needed during severe weather to enable out-of-town and local volunteers to be on site and ready to respond to emergency calls.
Borough officials said they would assist the corps in holding events to help stem a decline in volunteers, and work with them to provide better temporary accommodations.
DiPaola said “poor communication” between volunteer ambulance officials caused some misunderstanding about their needs and moving forward, they would communicate with Janine Davis, the corps’ buildings and grounds supervisor, about their needs.
“I do know that the community greatly appreciates [EVAC] as does this whole governing body,” said DiPaola.
Reached Oct. 11, EVAC Capt. Justin Mason said the situation is “a work in progress” and that he knew plans were afoot for EVAC members, and Solimando and Hermansen to get together soon to resolve the concerns about housing accommodations.
He said a future facility at Borough Hall should help solve EVAC’s operational, storage and personnel housing needs.
The corps provides emergency medical services to the Borough of Emerson and neighboring towns. It’s been helping the Pascack Valley area since 1956.
On its web page, the corps makes an appeal for volunteers.
“In addition to working full-time jobs, going to school, and taking care of their families, EVAC members make the time to make a difference in our community. We understand that everyone is busy, and any time you are able to volunteer is appreciated,” it says.
It adds, “In addition to volunteer time, donations from the community are critical to the ambulance corps’ existence and greatly appreciated.”
If you’re interested in volunteering, call (201) 262-6086 ext. 3 or write EmersonVAC@yahoo.com. Applications can be picked up at the Emerson Police Department at any time.