30 June 1982
(date estimated)

Squad number falling

Campaign starts to gather new first aid members

The captain of the Princeton First Aid and Rescue Squad said on Tuesday that squad membership has slumped to an all-time low in recent weeks, and he is making an appeal for residents to join the largely volunteer group.

Jack Seeley, the squad captain and a patrolman of the Princeton Township Police Department, said that by September, the squad anticipates it will be
17 members short of the minimum strength of its usual complement of 40.

He attributed the reduction in volunteers to both graduating cadets who are moving on to college and to vacationing regular members, plus the problem that over the past several months, there have been no new applicants for squad posts.

“This is an all-time low.” said Mr. Seeley on Tuesday. “We’re looking for 13, 14, or 15 people to help take the burden off regulars.”

Mr. Seeley said the volunteer staff is down to 27, and the squad expects to lose four more members by September. He said squad officials consider 48 members a “perfect number.” since that equates to six crews of eight members each, Sunday through Fridays.

On Saturdays, all squad members take turns covering shifts on a rotating basis, he added, and the goal of gaining 40 members “is something we could live
with.”

“Members are spending two and three sleep-in duty nights per week, rather than the regular one every two weeks,” the captain added.

To qualify for squad duty, one must be 18 years of age for regular service, and 16 to join the cadets. Members must have enrolled in and completed either First Aid training courses or the Emergency Medical Technician program.

For more information, call the squad house at 924-3338.