Save the date, September 12, for The Berkeley Heights Volunteer Rescue Squad’s (BHVRS) New Ambulance Wetdown!!!  We can’t wait to celebrate our new ambulance with the generous members of our community!

What’s a Wetdown?

A Wetdown is a ceremonial water salute, much like the christening of a ship.  Historically, it is a long standing tradition of the fire and ambulance service who officially welcome a new vehicle by spraying or ‘anointing’ it with water to keep it safe.

But, instead of BHVRS ‘wetting-down’ the new ambulance (#962) we’re inviting the children of Berkeley Heights to join us in doing this!  All BH kids (12 years and younger) come help us wetdown 962 with our toy pumper squirters!  It’ll be great fun!

This Wetdown event is also being held so BHVRS can extend a big ‘thank you’ to the residents and businesses of Berkeley Heights for their generous donations over the years which have enabled us to purchase this new ambulance.

Come join us!

When: Saturday, September 12, noon to 3 p.m.  Wetdown ceremony starts at 1 p.m. (Raindate: September 13)

Where: Lower Columbia Park, Plainfield Ave.

Who: Open to the entire community – YOU!  FAMILY!  NEIGHBORS!  FRIENDS!

What: Enjoy free hot dogs, ices, birch beer, music, kids’ games, ambulance tours and more!!!!

Sign-up to wetdown 962: Kids 12 years and under – Just fill out the form located in the blue box outside the BH Rescue Squad building on Snyder and Locust Avenues or call 908-656-2077.

The BHVRS teamed up today with the Watchung Rescue Squad to conduct a water rescue drill at the Berkeley Heights Community Pool. The combined squad drill included demonstrations on placing a patient on a backboard in the water, rescuing an unconscious patient and shore rescue using a throw-bag.

BHVRS and Watchung RS would like express their gratitude and give a special Thank You to the Berkeley Heights Community Pool, its staff and manager Erika for allow us to use their facilities and supporting the squads

We hope you all had a safe Mount Carmel Festival! We had a great time watching the fireworks and standing by on the field!

The BHVRS participated in a demonstration of what happens if you text and drive. The demonstration involved the BHVRS,Berkeley Heights Fire Department, Berkeley Heights Police Department, Mountainside Rescue Squad, and the Mountainside Police Department. This demonstration was put together to encourage safe driving during prom weekend. We hope that this showed the seniors how bad things can end up if you do not drive safely. Thank you Mountainside PD for asking us to participate!

The squad had a great time at the Memorial Day Parade!

Please join the BHVRS in welcoming the newest member of our fleet, 962! The BHVRS is a not-for-profit organization and relies, almost exclusively, on your donations to support us. Thanks to the generosity of the citizens and businesses of Berkeley Heights over the years, we able to recently purchase our new ambulance, 962. Come out tomorrow and see 962 in the Memorial Day Parade and commemorate those who have died protecting our freedoms!

Tonight, members of the squad attended the Overlook Medical Center’s Excellence in Emergency Services Awards Dinner. As a part of EMS Week, all of the squads that bring patients to OMC are invited to celebrate their service. Each squad picks a member of their agency to recognize for their excellent service. The BHVRS chose to honor our Supply LT Kevin Jow. Kevin rides two shifts a week and goes above and beyond for the squad. We are very grateful for Kevin and all of his hard work. Congratulations, Kevin!

The BHVRS visited Primrose School to show the students what we do! We had a great time showing the children our ambulance, the stretcher, and different pieces of equipment that we use! Thank you
for having us, Primrose!

The BHVRS will be hosting a Flower/Plant sale to benefit our Relay for Life Team.  Come visit on Sunday, May 17 at the Squad building located at  378 Snyder Ave. in Berkeley Heights from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. While you’re there, pick up some delicious baked goods. All proceeds will be donated to Relay for Life and The American Cancer Society. Advance orders for flowers/plants will be taken by calling (908)464-1141. Hall’s Garden Center and Florist has generously supported the Rescue Squad’s fundraising project.

The Squad will also be hosting a “Paint a Flower Pot and Plant a Flower” table at the Boy Scout’s Annual Rubber Ducky Festival on May 30 from 12 noon to  4 p.m., at Passaic River Park in Berkeley Heights. The pots and plants will be distributed to cancer patients and their families at St. Barnabas Hospital to cheer them.

Please help the BHVRS support the A3564 EMS Bill by submitting the easy online form below.This legislation will have positive impact on NJ’s emergency medical service system while having little if any cost for volunteer squads, local municipalities or the State of New Jersey. Specifically this legislation would:

– Require that an emergency medical technician be with a patient whenever a patient is being transported;
– Require that all ambulances be inspected and provides for this to be done with little difficulty to administer and will incur no new costs to taxpayers;
– Change the definition of a “volunteer squad” to reflect the fiscal realities that face both volunteer squads and municipal based squads today. The new definition will mean that those volunteer squads that find they must now bill to be able to continue to provide their services will again be considered volunteer squads. These squads and their volunteer members will again be entitled to the rights and protections afforded to squads that meet the new definition of a volunteer squad.

Sending this email will take you less then a minute. Please help us get this bill through by clicking on the link below!

www.capwiz.com/njsfac/home/