MAS: What Volunteers EMS Is All About

It's not like what you see on television. That's what Dominick Sandelli, captain of the Morristown Ambulance Squad, said after returning from a call one Friday evening.

He had just responded with another volunteer to the residence of a possibly suicidal elderly woman. The woman, who reacted with hostility to all the questions asked of her by police and squad members, was deemed incompetent and was transported to the hospital.

Sandelli said the squad gets a call about the woman nearly every other week.

"The breakdown in the process is frustrating, because the woman needs help and it continues to fall through the cracks," he said.

A current resident of Morris Township and a past resident of Morristown, Sandelli has been volunteering with the squad for 11 years. He said he joined because he wanted to do something positive for the community with his free time. He also admitted that the ambulance's lights and sirens had something to do with it.

"I didn't know what I was getting into, and I never thought I'd still be here," Sandelli said.

Contrary to popular belief, he said the squad doesn't often see blood. The majority of its calls are for people who are having trouble breathing, or for people who are intoxicated.

"Everyone thinks it's just like TV, and it's not," he said. "Every call isn't as exciting as it seems on TV."

Of the 2,500 calls received each year, the squad's 27 active volunteers answer approximately 2,100. The remaining calls are picked up by squads from surrounding towns.

Though the sheer volume of calls the squad handles is astounding, Karen Johansen, president of the squad and a resident of Morristown, said too many go unanswered. With only 27 active members and 35 on the roster, there are times when no one is on hand to respond.

Despite that, the Morristown Ambulance Squad and the Morris Minutemen are the only two squads in Morris County to have volunteers sleep over, awaiting calls.

Though some volunteers already have emergency medical technician certification when they join, Johansen said many come with no prior experience. There are certain things they cannot do without a certificate, but she said everyone who joins is utilized.

"It's a balancing act between the family, the job and the commitment you've chosen," said Johansen, a 20-year veteran of the squad.

Heather Fortier of Morristown joined the squad eight years ago after reading an article in the Daily Record about the crew's need for volunteers. Fortier, who works as a school bus driver, said she thought she would be able to contribute by driving the ambulance.

"I slowly but surely got reeled into patient care," Fortier said. "(Now) all my neighbors call me first before they call 911."

The balancing act between family and squad responsibilities became more difficult for Fortier when her daughter decided to join. On one hand, Fortier said she didn't want to expose her daughter, Nichole, to some of the calls, but she also didn't want to shelter her.

"I was proud, but I was a little nervous about what she might see or hear," Fortier said. Nichole, who now is 21, started with the squad when she was 18.

On one particular occasion, Fortier said she refused to allow her daughter to respond to a call for a possible SARS case -- which later proved to be just a scare. Because of the nature of the call, less experienced, younger EMTs would not have been permitted to go anyway. The team tried to keep the number of volunteers exposed to the patient to a minimum, Johansen said.

The minimum age for volunteering with the squad is 16. However, Johansen said minors always work with at least two adults.

She said the experience teaches them independence, critical thinking and teamwork. And before a minor commits to the program, the squad speaks with his or her parents.

"They have to be aware of what their child is going to be coming in contact with," Sandelli said.

Ike Chiladze of Morristown, a commercial jet pilot, started volunteering with the squad in August. A former EMT, Chiladze said he wanted update his certification because he wanted to be useful to the community.

"The airplane is not enough of a God complex," he said with a grin. "I need a bigger God complex."

Chiladze is no stranger to volunteering. He participated in Meals on Wheels through the Red Cross for six years from the time he was a high school senior. He later received his EMT certification and volunteered in Springfield. Being an EMT, he said, is truly fulfilling.

Steven Cape of Morris Township, a U.S. Park Ranger, has volunteered with the squad for four years now. Before moving to Morris Township, he served as an EMT on the Bernardsville squad.

"I believe in being a part of your community," Cape said. "Also, I benefit from keeping up my skills."