If you received medical care from Metuchen First Aid Squad in the recent past, chances are you approved of the treatment provided, according to survey results of former patients announced at a May 4, 2009 borough council meeting.

“Each time that [Metuchen EMS] sends out an ambulance and gives care to a patient, they have been sending that family a survey to see just how they can improve their services,” said councilman Christopher Morrison at the meeting. “I would like to quickly run through the numbers they have received.”

“In the rating of overall care, 88 percent rated them as excellent, and 11 percent rated them as very good,” Morrison said. “One percent rated them as something less. So 99 percent of those surveyed who actually received treatment from Metuchen EMS rated them as very good to excellent.”

Morrison said that in four separate categories, virtually all surveyed patients gave marks of very good to excellent to Metuchen EMS: on response time, 98 percent of patients said EMS was very good to excellent; on degree of coordination of care and treatment, 99 percent; on explanation of treatment, 98 percent; and on professional appearance, 99 percent.

“In each of those, an overwhelming majority voted them as excellent,” he said. “I think the smallest rating for excellent was in the 70 percent range.”

Even one of their lowest scores, on the level of comfort provided, still meant that 96 percent of former patients rated the service as “very good to excellent on comfort.”

“Apparently ambulances are not the same thing as limousines,” Morrison said.

Morrison also touched on recent suggestions at the state government level of the possibility of cuts in the New Jersey EMT Training Fund. This fund, which is supported by a statewide $0.50 surcharge on motor vehicle moving and traffic violations, is used to reimburse members of volunteer ambulance, first aid, and rescue squad personnel who are seeking EMT certification and recertification.

“Although it is a very difficult time for budgeting everywhere, this is critical funding to keep our EMS up-to-date around the state,” he said. “So please reach out to me or to Metuchen EMS. I can get you the names of the legislators to write to. It would be greatly appreciated.”

The all-volunteer Metuchen First Aid Squad was established in 1948 and since then has provided free ambulance service to the residents of Metuchen and surrounding communities, according to the organization’s website. Most members have full-time jobs unrelated to the squad. The service is not under the auspices of Metuchen borough and is managed independently by a board of trustees comprised in part by squad members.

For information on how to volunteer with Metuchen EMS or to find out how you can rent their meeting hall for events, you can go to www.metuchenems.org or call (732) 906-9549.