Town Topics
14 May 1980
(date estimated)

In a Borough Emergency, Call Borough, Not Township, Chief Carnevale Asserts

For any emergency in the Borough the number to call, says Chief Michael Carnevale, is 924-4141 – the Borough police number.

In a story in last week’s TOWN TOPICS about the hiring of two paid professionals by the Princeton First Aid and Rescue Squad, Squad Captain Ed Obert was quoted as saying he wanted to inform the public that there is now a single telephone number for summoning the squad: 921-2100. the number of the Township Police.

While that may be true. Chief Carnevale took exception. “It is grossly misleading and erroneous,” he said. “Borough residents should continue to use their police department for emergency calls”

Chief Carnevale gave an example of why he is concerned. Suppose, he explained, there is an accident on a Borough street involving a child on a bicycle. If Township police and not the Borough are called, it is conceivable, he said, that a Borough patrol car would never be dispatched.

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“While the Township is in the process of dispatching an ambulance, it’s conceivable we might not get a call,” Chief Carnevale said “Our car can go immediately. We need a call so we can go to the scene and begin administering lifesaving first aid techniques until the ambulance arrives.

In a lot of cases,” he continued, “a victim can be transported in a patrol car and very vital seconds and minutes can be saved.”

Borough police continue to maintain a direct “hot line” between the police desk and the First Aid Squad. Police also maintain radio communication with the First Aid center, he said.

Under the present emergency arrangement, especially during the day, the Township does all the First Aid dispatching. When a call comes in for an ambulance,Township police activate a plectron to get first aid personnel to respond.

If a call comes in to the Borough, Chief Carnevale maintains, police can send a patrol car immediately and notify the First Aid Squad.

In short, if there is an emergency in the Borough, police want to be the first to know about it. “We aren’t in the business to assume anything,” replied Chief Carnevale, when asked if he didn’t think the Township police would notify them of any emergency call originating in the Borough.