The Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office and the Monmouth County Board of Commissioners on Wednesday launched a new emergency medical service operation amid an ongoing shortage of volunteer emergency medical technicians. The Sheriff’s Office is hiring around 40 EMTs to cut the response time to 911 calls; Monmouth County has some of the longest average wait times in the state.
“The resources are incredibly limited,” said Rob McLaughlin, paramedic supervisor at Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office EMS. “COVID was incredibly stressful, not only for our paid professionals but also our volunteer professionals. It was hard for people to get out and volunteer and willingly do something that could put them in danger, and we suffered a lot for it.”
“We all know, unfortunately, the hours it takes now for training and we all know, unfortunately with family matters and dual-income jobs, that volunteerism has become a little bit more difficult in our communities,” said Monmouth County Sheriff Shaun Golden.
“We are here to supplement,” McLaughlin said. “We’re not taking any anything away from anyone. But getting these resources on the road takes pressure off departments that are overtaxed, overworked volunteer squads.”
