Town Topics
7 May 1980
Rescue Squad to show new paid paramedics, Lifemobile
May Is first aid month, and the Princeton First Aid and Rescue Squad will be celebrating in style. The squad will hold an open house and ceremonies for the dedication of its new Lifemobile and the introduction of the paid paramedics Saturday, May 10.
First Aid and Rescue Squad Joint Committee co-chairpersons Kate Litvak and Dick Woodbridge will open the ceremonies with the christening of the Lifemobile at noon, and festivities will follow until 3 p.m.
Through a combined contribution of the township and borough, the squad was able to hire two paid paramedics to provide daytime emergency care to the town.
Ed Obert, captain of PFARS, began planting the seeds for obtaining paid people during the daytime — when there is a dearth of volunteers to take calls — approximately three years ago. Mr. Obert and others who were aware of the situation felt that Princeton could no longer be guaranteed fast emergency medical service (during the weekdays, especially) with volunteers alone.
Diran (Joe) Dermen, president and volunteer member of PFARS, and Thomas Krisanda, member of the Pennington First Aid Squad, are the two new paramedics. Both men are qualified in basic and advanced emergency care, with many hours of training and experience behind them.
Paramedics Dermen and Krisanda will spend approximately one-half of their time at the Princeton Medical Center emergency room assisting personnel and enhancing their own training, and the rest of the time performing various squad duties, while remaining available for emergency calls at all times. The crew of two will be supplemented by volunteers, who will meet them at the emergency scene on all calls when they are available.
The public is invited to attend the festivities at the PFARS building, located on North Harrison Street, to inspect the new Lifemobile.
Topics of the Town
(Continued from Page 4)
OPEN HOUSE PLANNED By First Aid Squad. May is First Aid Month, and the Princeton First Aid and Rescue Squad will celebrate by holding an open house and dedication ceremonies for is new Lifemobile on Saturday. The co-chairmen of the Joint First Aid and Rescue Squad Committee, Kate Litvak and Dick Woodbridge, will christen the Lifemobile at noon and festivities will follow until 3.
The two new paid paramedics, Diran (Joe) Dermen and Thomas Krisanda. who began their duties as paid paramedics last Monday, will be introduced. Refreshments will be served, the Lifemobile will be on view and a slide show of milestones in the Squad’s and Princeton’s history will be shown.
The services of Mr. Dermen and Mr. Krisanda have been made possible by a joint contribution from the two municipalities. Ed Obert, captain of the Squad, began planting the seeds three years ago for obtaining paid professionals during the daytime when there is a dearth of volunteers to take calls. The Joint First Aid and Rescue Squad Committee was set up with representatives from Township Committee and Borough Council, the community and the Medical Center and recommended that the two municipalities fund a paid paramedic and emergency medical technician for the weekdays.
Mr. Dirmen is president and volunteer member of the Princeton Squad, Mr. Krisanda has served with the Pennington First Aid Squad- Both are well qualified in basic and advanced emergency care, with many hours of training and experiences behind them.
They will spend approximately one-half of their time at the Princeton Medical Center emergency, room assisting personnel there and enhancing their own training
The rest of the time they will perform various Squad duties while remaining available for emergency calls at all times. This crew of two will be supplemented by volunteers, who will meet them at the emergency scene on all calls when they are available.
The public is invited to attend the festivities at the Squad house on North Harrision Street, adjoining the Princeton Shopping Center.
Photo Captions:
THE PRINCETON First Aid and Rescue Squad’s new paid paramedics, Diran Derman and Thomas Krisanda, will be introduced along with the new Lifemobile unit at an open house on Saturday, May 10.
NEW AT THE FIRST AID AND RESCUE SQUAD: Tom Krisanda and Joe Dermen, the two professionals now on duty for daytime weekday emergency calls at the Princeton First Aid and Rescue Squad, pose by the gleaming new Lifemobile which will be dedicated Saturday at noon. The Squad will celebrate with an open house after the ceremony.