Lacey Township E.M.S. # 23
PO Box 289
Forked River, NJ  08731
609-693-9510

Lacey Township EMS, designated as Squad 23, is located in the Forked River section of Lacey Township in Ocean County, NJ. We are staffed entirely by volunteers, about half of whom are certified as Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs). We answer approximately 2,000 first aid calls for emergency medical services annually and cover Forked River, Bamber Lakes and six miles of the Garden State Parkway. We also are the primary responders for the Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station for Emergency Medical Services.

As a volunteer organization, our services are provided at no charge to area residents. Financial support is provided mostly by private donations from community citizens. Membership is comprised of local residents who donate their time to provide pre-hospital medical care to visitors and residents of Lacey Township. The Squad currently consists of 65 members serving 17,000 residents.

Squad 23 responds to calls utilizing a fleet of three ambulances and two first responder vehicles. Members are notified of medical emergencies by being paged by Lacey Township Police dispatchers. Responding members call police in turn to let them know they're responding to the call and then proceed to the Squad 23 building to pull an emergency vehicle to the scene. The Squad must have a probationary member and an "active" EMT at a minimum to respond to calls. The EMT is responsible for managing the scene and patient, while probationary members' responsibilities are confined to driving the ambulance, assisting with stretcher operation and other tasks.

Membership in Squad 23 is open to persons age 16 and older. Members simply need to have an updated CPR certification to respond to calls. This training is provided free of charge by the squad. All parties interested in joining the squad should call 609-693-9510 to arrange a time to fill out an application. Upon approval of the applicant, the new member is required to take a first aid orientation course and a CPR course, if they're not currently CPR certified. Upon completion of this initial training, members are given uniform clothing and pagers and are considered ready to ride. All courses, squad clothing and other items are provided free of charge by the Squad.

Any member may also obtain EMT training and certification for free through the Squad (this is encouraged). EMT certification is obtained upon completion of approximately three months of course work and practical exercises for three nights a week and three hours a night at the Ocean County Training Academy in Waretown. Members must also pass a final exam to obtain an EMT certification.

Joining the Squad is an opportunity for citizens with free time on their hands to learn new skills, help save lives, make new friendships and give back to the community in a meaningful and profound way.

2010 Lacey Township EMS Officers