HILLSDALE—Two top officials of the Hillsdale Volunteer Ambulance Service reported to the Borough Council that the new “combined” workforce of paid and volunteer workers has significantly decreased emergency response times, with medical care arriving on scene in about five minutes.
Later in the meeting, councilors approved a resolution to participate in a joint ambulance feasibility study with Old Tappan and River Vale to assess providing ambulance services to the three towns.
Facing consistently low volunteer numbers, the Borough Council and squad members collaborated last year to staff the ambulance service with a paid daytime crew of emergency medical technicians (EMTs), covering Monday to Friday when most emergency calls occur.
At the July 16 meeting, Chief Justin Eliopoulos, director of Hillsdale’s per-diem ambulance staff, and Mark Greenwood, deputy director, provided a nine-month progress report on the combined workforce. Volunteers generally staff weeknights and weekend shifts.
Eliopoulos highlighted the success of the “hybrid model,” which began on Sept. 1, 2023. The average local response time is now five minutes and six seconds, compared to the previous average of 14 minutes, which often suffered delays due to volunteer shortages.
“It just shows everyone how quickly and how efficiently we’re working with this new model,” said Eliopoulos.
Greenwood explained that daytime coverage is staffed by 15 per-diem EMTs, who work from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. and earn $26 to $28 per hour. Daytime ambulance service focuses exclusively on Hillsdale, ensuring residents have guaranteed ambulance access when they call.
He noted that ambulance crews often arrive on scene alongside or even before police, adding, “if not sometimes beating them, sorry,” he said to Police Chief Sean Smith, who attended the meeting. “I’m happy about it,” responded Smith.
Greenwood recounted recent incidents, such as a resident falling from a backyard deck during the eclipse and needing airlift transport to a trauma center, a vehicle rollover on Kinderkamack Road, and an entrapment by the middle school. “Our crews are arriving very fast and providing rapid care,” he said.
Administrator Michael Ghassali praised the volunteers and paid EMTs as “superstars, professional and passionate about what they do.” He noted that ambulances are typically out the door and on their way within about 90 seconds of a call.
Officials reported the squad’s per-diem staff includes 15 paid EMTs and approximately 32 EMT volunteers, with 12 to 14 volunteers picking up regular night or weekend shifts. They also noted that more calls are received during the day than at night.
Mayor Michael Sheinfield commended Eliopoulos and Greenwood, saying, “We’re moving forward, and a huge part of it is the two of you. I just want to go on the record and thank you for what you’ve been doing. Your presentation was unbelievably impressive.”
Eliopoulos shared that in nine months of operation, the combined service has treated 436 patients: 289 by per-diem EMTs and 147 by volunteer EMTs.
Later in the meeting, councilors unanimously passed Resolution 24220, allocating $5,800 for a joint feasibility study with Old Tappan and River Vale to investigate providing ambulance services across the three towns.
The $17,400 study, to be conducted by MTP Group, Sparta, will evaluate each town’s current ambulance services and project the cost and service level of a future paid per-diem service model.
The resolution, not listed on the agenda, was discussed in closed session and voted on in public. View it on the borough website under Government, Mayor & Council, Resolutions/Ordinances.