The Nutley Volunteer Emergency & Rescue Squad has served the Township of Nutley since 1953, providing a high quality of emergency medical and rescue services 24 hours a day 365 days a year. Since the Squad was founded in 1953 eleven members have grown to the present forty-eight; a second hand ambulance has been replaced by four fully equipped vehicles; 218 calls in that first year have multiplied to the 3000+ answered in each of the last three years; the need for a crew chief to notify his crew has been eliminated by volunteers living-in at our headquarters 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Each step forward over the past fifty plus years has been possible only through the generosity of the Townspeople of Nutley who have given so freely of their time and financial support.

In the beginning, emergency care was available only through the Police Department when the idea of a First Aid Squad was originated. In 1953 Jess Booth, Wally Eckhardt, and Dave Marshall, all members of the Police Reserves, set about forming a First Aid Squad. After attending District Meetings of the New Jersey State First Aid Council plans were formulated and presented to Mayor Harry W. Chenoweth. The Mayor then took the idea before the Town Commission where it won approval. On March 3, 1953 an idea became a reality – the Nutley First Aid and Rescue Squad would provide its town with immediate care by well-trained men and women in any emergency.

The new Squad obtained a 1947 Buick ambulance, which the Police deemed useless. It was repaired, equipped and ready for use as the first of many ambulances Nutley would have. Eleven charter members provided service from 6 P.M. until 6 A.M. on weekdays, supplemented by the Police.

The courtroom above the Chestnut Street Fire House was used for business and training meetings. The Rig (ambulance) was parked in the Warren Street entrance of the Fire Department and duty crews stood by in Police Headquarters. Squad records were kept in the homes of the first officers, Jess Booth, Captain and Dave Marshall, Secretary.

Moving ahead the Nutley First Aid Squad was permitted the use of the Red Cross building for meetings. In 1955 the first fund drive was conducted, and with the help of the newly formed Ladies Auxiliary, $7,000.00 was raised toward the purchase of a new ambulance. A $2,000.00 appropriation form the Town enabled the Squad to order a 1955 Meads-Miller Cadillac and the old Buick was retired. An Ambulance Association was formed in 1955 and the Fund Drive became an annual undertaking.

In 1958 the old town garage under Police Headquarters was done over to provide Nutley with its first headquarters. There was a bay for two Rigs, meeting rooms and a place for the duty crew to stand-by. In 1959 the Police Ambulance, a 1953 Buick, was replaced with a new Eurika Cadillac ambulance. The number of requests for service increased steadily. 1961 marked the beginning of twenty-four hour coverage of the town of Nutley by its First Aid Squad.

Emergency equipment has been constantly modernized and advanced life support equipment has been added as soon as it is developed. The Cadillac ambulances which once were thought to be the premier emergency vehicles were replaced with the modular truck style ambulances which provide more patient care area and additional room for the various new life saving equipment carried today.

Training during the early years included Standard and Advanced First Aid Courses, ambulance procedures, rig driving lessons, emergency child birth, cardio-pulmonary resuscitation training. Today all members must attend New Jersey State Emergency Medical Training courses as well as to attend in-house training sessions. Members interested in light and heavy Rescue must attend sessions designed to teach the members how to extricated victims quickly and efficiently always with the safety of the patient and rescuer uppermost in the rescuers mind. The Squad today has a Scuba Team, Water Recovery & Rescue, and Bike Team.

Since 1973, the Squad has been a live-in Squad that means that all duty crewmembers remain at headquarters for their entire length of the tour of duty. The volunteers built bunkrooms in 1973 to provide sleeping quarters for the night crews as they remain in headquarters throughout the night just in case someone needs emergency care. Day Crews also have the same requirement to remain at headquarters prepared to respond in a moments notice.

The Squad changed its name to reflect the advance care that the volunteers render as New Jersey State Emergency Medical Technicians in 1976. The Squad officially changed its name to the Nutley Volunteer Emergency & Rescue Squad, Inc.

The greatest change that faced the volunteers came in 1988. The shortage of volunteer’s weekdays from 6:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M. would have affected the Squad’s ability to respond to calls effectively. The volunteers took immediate action to fill this void by hiring two paid EMT’s as employees of the Squad. In 1999 two more paid EMT’s were hired to ensure that ample coverage exists weekdays. This need required the Squad to become an employer and as a result to establish a payroll. It is important that citizens understand that the Squad not the Township of Nutley employs the paid personnel. Payroll and benefits are paid out of the donations the Squad receives from the townspeople and businesses through our Annual Fund Drive.

The passing of time has brought us many changes and we look forward to even more improvements in the future. Through all the years two of our goals remain unchanged; the dedication of all members to the service of the Township of Nutley with the highest quality of care and second that our services continue to be rendered Free of Charge.