Why First Aid Squad Opposed County Dispatch

During a couple of recent medical calls, off-duty members of the heard about CPR in progress and responded to assist at the scene.

In other instances, members heard about emergencies via radio, were first to the scene and used their cell phones to call a to provide additional information.

All of those emergency response benefits would require less effective work-arounds if Montville went ahead with switching its dispatching services to the Morris County Communications Center, said Ed Watters, president of the Montville Township First Aid Squad.

"I would say this is not something you want to screw around with," he during a public hearing last week.

Ronald Cain Jr., chairman of the Pine Brook Board of Fire Commissioners, said shifting to the county dispatch service would have been a "monumental" change in how Montville's three fire departments, first aid squad and police operate.

Included in Watters report to the town were diagrams mapping how the lines of communication would change, which he said would be to the town's detriment. The illustrations are attached to this story.

After hearing their concerns, the Township Committee unanimously opposed a proposal to have Morris County handle all of Montville's dispatching services, but went ahead with a plan to have the county screen Montville's 911 calls and forward them to Montville dispatchers. The county also will provide emergency medical dispatching, officials said.