By Chelsea Maguire
LITTLE SILVER – Firefighters, police officers, EMS and paramedics – these are the first responders who help us in emergencies in our everyday lives whether we take a nasty fall or experience severe chest pains that signal cardiac or respiratory distress. They are the ones we trust to be there when potentially dangerous situations arise.
Little Silver Emergency Medical Services is one of the many volunteer organizations in Monmouth County that responds to medical and traumatic emergencies 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, whether solo calls or mutual aid calls with other EMS squads in neighboring municipalities. Among the 20 active EMRs and EMTs (Emergency Medical Responders or Technicians) who answer over 500 emergency calls a year, the company recently certified six members to drive the ambulances. Among those squad members are Alexis Walsh, who also serves as the sergeant on the squad, Matthew Suszka, Don Niles, Ed Christensen, Tony Zajac, Jim Marron and Jana Meyers.
All six members had to complete an eight-hour course known as CEVO (Coaching the Emergency Vehicle Operator) and an in-house training program.
Many of these squad members have experience in the EMS profession, and some of the younger ones strive to pursue a career as a first responder in the future as a police officer or a firefighter.
“I am also a lieutenant in the fire police,” Niles said. “I always thought it might be interesting to become an EMS member. The other members are great people and it’s great to be able to help people.”
“I was an EMT when I was 18,” Christensen said. “After that, I went off and joined the Navy and spent 25 years as a hospital corpsman and was active in the reserves. I retired in 2009 and did other things and came here in December of 2018. EMS is an itch that has to be scratched if you have it and I had borne the itch without a scratch for too long and needed to come back.”
Walsh said she also worked for the Little Silver Police Department as a dispatcher. “A lot of the guys at the police department are also here either as firefighters or EMS squad members,” she said. “I ended up becoming friends with a lot of them and they got me interested. I am also a paid EMT and would like to continue first responder work in the future. It’s a rewarding experience and I enjoy helping everybody in town.”
“I think it’s honestly the little things that matter,” Niles added. “Even just holding someone’s hand and reassuring them that you are not going anywhere. You are a total stranger to that person, yet they trust you and do not want you to leave them.”
As Walsh points out, “A lot of the calls we go on could end up being someone’s worst day. We get to go out and help them. We can make a difference. It’s rewarding to help them, especially on big calls such as CPR ones, it is gratifying to save lives.”
Little Silver EMS chief, Joe Calao, also serves the organization as a certified emergency vehicle operator. “I think that from a line officer perspective it’s good to know that no matter who the crew is they are going to give 100 percent to help the patient,” Calao said. “Whether it is just to cheer them up or assist them with medical needs we know they will give them all they can.”
