Commissioner Alphonse Petracco and the Nutley Fire Department continue to shine a light on just how important their Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) are to keeping the township safe and healthy. People tend to think of firefighters mainly fighting fires, but many of their calls are medical emergencies. Having EMTs in the fire department means residents get fast, professional medical care when every second matters.

“We can respond anywhere in town in less than two minutes,” Director of Public Safety Petracco proudly states. “24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.”

Firefighter/EMTs are often the first ones on scene. Because Nutley’s firehouse is centrally located in town, crews can get to a location quickly and start emergency care. Early actions like CPR, stopping bleeding, helping someone breathe, or using an AED can make a huge difference in whether someone survives a medical emergency. Firefighters also come across injured people at car crashes, fires, rescues and other incidents. EMT training lets them size up injuries right away, stabilize patients, and give critical care until paramedics take over or the patient gets to the hospital.

“We actually just had many examples of the advantage of having the EMTs within the fire department over the last few months’” Petracco says. “When we were hit with those two massive snow storms, we were able to send the fireman ahead of the EMTs so they could clear a path to enable the EMTs to get into the house as quickly as possible. That allows us to get to our residents faster and gives us a better chance of getting the help they need.” 

Having EMT‑trained firefighters also helps everything run smoother between the fire department, EMS and local hospitals. Firefighter/EMTs know how to clearly explain what’s going on with a patient so paramedics and doctors can pick up right where they left off. Most communities see more medical calls than fire calls these days, and Nutley is no different. Giving firefighters EMT training helps to handle that demand and still keep the overall level of public safety high.

“Our fire department, led by Chief Paul Cafone, is committed to protecting lives with rapid deployment, solid medical skills and ongoing training,” Petracco adds. “We are all about quick response, professional wisdom, and compassion. Having EMTs on the job means residents get immediate help when they need it most and it shows how serious we are about serving and looking out for this community.”