6 MINUTES TO SAVE A LIFE?
ACFAS IS THERE IN LESS THAN 5!
Each year more than 1,000 savable lives are lost in this country because of inadequate emergency response services. Cardiac arrest and stroke patients have less than six minutes to receive life-saving treatment. Seconds can literally mean the difference between life and death.
ACFAS responds to more than 2,400 emergency calls a year and does not charge the Township for its services. Woodbridge Township's recent decision to suspend ACFAS' services was based on inaccurate reports of lagging response times and other unsupported allegations. ACFAS' average response to 9-1-1 calls is less than 5 minutes, three minutes faster than the 8 minute national average.
The decision to cut life-saving services to an already overburdened EMS system jeopardizes you and your loved ones' safety. The Township's already scaled-down EMS system does not have adequate resources to respond to this volume of emergency calls. Cutting more EMS services puts the lives of all Woodbridge residents at risk.
On August 3, at 7 p.m., the Council will vote on whether to eliminate ACFAS' 9-1-1 response services permanently. You can stop this from happening by signing this petition or contacting your council member and asking them to vote "No." For more information on how to voice your opposition to cutting EMS services, please visit ACFAS' website at www.avenelems.com or call (732) 636-4640.
We, the undersigned, call upon you, the members of the Woodbridge Township Council, to rescind the resolution supporting Executive Order 1-2010, which temporarily suspended ACFAS from responding to the Township's 9-1-1 calls.
We further call upon you to vote against the proposed amendment to Township Ordinance Section 2.76.2, which would permanently eliminate ACFAS from responding to the Township's 9-1-1 calls.
This critical issue will have a lasting impact on the Township's ability to provide life-saving emergency services to us. Thank you for considering our opinion.
