PO Box 137
3 Regina Lane
Great Meadows, NJ 07838

History of Independence First Aid Squad (view images below)

In mid 1971, Mayor Sam Vaia approached an Independence township resident, Pat Curtin and suggested that the township have its own first aid or rescue squad.  At the time, the township was served by the Hackettstown Squad. Pat, a former member of the Wharton Squad, had recently moved to Independence. Pat approached another new resident, Bob Bonnell, with the idea.  Bob was a medic and medical supply officer in Vietnam.  They were both  members of the 349^th MASH, an Army Reserve Unit in New York City.

After several meetings Sam, Pat and Bob agreed to try to create a squad.  The first organizational meeting was held in October of 1971 at the Township Hall.  In addition to Pat and Bob, Fran Horensky and Pete Matsko joined the meeting. The bright side was that Fran, a registered nurse, said her husband, Steve, also wanted to join the squad, but he was home as the babysitter for their two girls.

Early on, Pat met with representatives of the Hackettstown Squad and agreed that the new squad would be responsible for answering calls in Independence and Liberty townships and a portion of Mansfield Township.  The Hackettstown Squad agreed to train Independence squad members in Red Cross basic and advanced first aid.

Over the next several months, other township residents came forward and the group decided to move forward in creating the squad.  Steve Horensky, Bob and Pat worked to develop by-laws and with the pro bono assistance of attorney Bob Casella, documents to incorporate the squad were drafted and filed. Through the generous cooperation of the manager of the First Hope Bank, the squad was able to secure a loan to buy its first ambulance, a used 1969 Cadillac from the Basking Ridge Squad, for $9,000.

The Hackettstown Squad not only trained IFAS members, but also advised them about what equipment and supplies to carry on the rig.  Meanwhile squad members were familiarizing themselves with their new ambulance, and stenciling IFAS on all equipment. Dr. Lawrence Mazzei agreed to serve as the squad’s medical advisor. The Township Council agreed to let the squad keep the ambulance in its garage on Barkers Mill Road.   It was a tight fit and the garage had a dirt floor, but it kept the rig out of the elements.

The squad arranged for dispatch from Labar Taxi Service and later changed to Hackettstown Answering Service, then to Tri-Caps, then to the Washington Township Police Department. Because the squad was still fighting for acceptance from township residents, Pat Curtin agreed to serve as President/Captain and Bob Bonnell at Vice President/Lieutenant.  Other charter officers included Fran Horensky, secretary, and Pete Matsko, treasurer.

With the help of a supplier in Morristown, the squad designed its patch with the Colonial Sentinel. Jump suits and hats were purchased and squad members/spouses sewed on the squad patch and members’ names.  The squad purchased Plectron radio units for each member.  These units remained silent until there was a call.  A signal from the dispatcher turned on the Plectrons and sent out the message to members;   In many cases, this resulted in other residents calling squad members’ houses to find out what was going on.

The squad took over responsibilities from the Hackettstown Squad on July 15,1972 and responded to its first call on July 17,1972. In addition to Pat Curtin, Fran and Steve Horensky, and Bob  Bonnell, initial members of the squad included Pete Matsko, Bernie Nelson, Tom Fletcher, Anthony Ceasar, Jane Billows, Bud Leh, Ottie Campbell, Dick Theys and Bonnie Dailey.  Each weekend the rig could be found at a member’s house with squad members washing it.

When the squad started operations, Hackettstown Hospital had not been built and patients were transported to either Warren Hospital in Phillipsburg (24 miles) or Dover General Hospital (now Saint Clare’s Hospital) in Dover (21 miles). It took some time to gain the confidence of township residents.  As members went door-to-door seeking funds, they were often met with comments like, “We are still going to call Hackettstown.” The confidence tide seemed to turn after the squad (with assistance from the Hackettstown Squad) responded to an accident on Route 46 in which three people died and several others were injured.

After the squad had been operating several months, the township Fire Department agreed that the squad could house the rig in an unused bay in its building, but with a catch.  The fire department had a Sunday morning fund-raising breakfast each week, so every Sunday morning IFAS members removed the ambulance from the fire department building and set up for the breakfast; then on Sunday afternoon, they reversed the process.

On February 23, 1973, Hackettstown Community Hospital (later Hackettstown Regional Medical Center) opened and the squad transported patients there. After its first year of operations, the squad members felt they had earned the confidence of the community and separated line and administrative positions.  They then elected Steve Horensky captain and Bob Bonnell president. Bob  left the squad in 1974 when he accepted a job in Florida. Pat became inactive when the family moved to the big city of Hackettstown in 1978 and became active with the Hackettstown Squad and Fire Department.

Our second unit was Hackettstown Rescue Squad’s original 1952 GMC crash truck which was used as a rescue vehicle and back-up ambulance. It was originally stored in what now is the RDJ Shell. The second ambulance, a 1968 Caddy was purchased from the Belvidere Squad through the generosity of the Kowalick family, after the loss of a family member via  memorial donations to the squad. This unit was brought up to standards due to the generosity of Roger’s Transfer in Liberty Township with  body repair, painting and new tires.

The Squad purchased the property where the Squad house is now from the Terrick family. We had offers from other Township residents for different parcels of land at little or no cost but the members felt that the existing property would best serve the Squad’s needs. Then came the design and construction of the building, and only again due to the generosity of the residents and local business community and the total cooperation of The First Bank of Hope and the late Mr. Lewis Beatty did the building be come a reality. It was dedicated in 1975.

Photos of the "Early Years" click on the photo to be redirected to our photo gallery

INDEPENDENCE TOWNSHIP, NJ