Emergency Squad $75K Away From Fundraising Goal

The Chatham Emergency Squad needs about $75,000 in donations to reach its fundraising goal of $225,000 to support its operations in the Chathams.

The squad has two stations, one in Chatham Borough and one in Chatham Township. Between the two stations, the squad is operational 24 hours a day, seven days a week, responding to 911 calls and emergencies throughout the two towns.

Because the squad is a nonprofit organization staffed by volunteers, they offer a free alternative for emergency medical treatment and transportation to hospitals for sick or injured residents.

"We're trying to raise $225,000," Richard Crater, the squad's fundraising chair, said. "The borough and the township give $10,000 apiece, and we're trying to raise the remaining $205,000 from local residents and businesses."

The rest of the funds must come from tax-deductible donations.

The squad has 50 active members and 38 cadets, auxiliary or on-leave members. Their operating budget is about $190,000 each year, with $36,000 going into a capital fund to replace ambulances every five years. Members must go for continuous ongoing training, the cost of which is taken out of the squad's operating budget.

"We have no state aid," Crater said. "That's OK, we're not asking for state aid." Instead, he said, "we're hoping to increase participation [in donations] among the residents and businesses of Chatham."

As of May 28, Crater said the squad had raised $150,000, two-thirds of its fundraising goal.

In 2012 the squad responded to 1,090 emergency calls: There were 591 from Chatham Township, 474 from the borough and 25 from the mutual aid agreements with other nearby municipalities.

Tax-deductible donations can be sent to: Chatham Emergency Squad, Inc.
Attention: Fund Drive Manager, 45 Spring St., Chatham, NJ 07928-1612, or made via PayPal through the squad's website.