Highland Park Volunteer Fire Co. Ends Ambulance Service; Chief Explains Why

GLOUCESTER CITY, NJ –Chief Irvin Brown of the Highland Park Volunteer Fire Company announced that the department will discontinue its backup ambulance service, citing a steady decline in volunteer participation and increasing training demands.

For more than 30 years, the company provided vemergency ambulance coverage to Gloucester City residents. But Brown said the organization can no longer maintain the level of service the community deserves.

“Volunteerism just isn’t what it used to be,” Brown explained. “We’ve reached a point where we don’t have enough trained personnel to safely and reliably operate an ambulance.”

He noted that modern emergency medical training requires significantly more time, certification, and ongoing education than in past decades. With fewer volunteers able to commit to those requirements, the department faced mounting challenges in staffing ambulance calls.

Brown emphasized that the decision was not made lightly. “We’ve always taken pride in helping our community,” he said. “But we can’t continue a service we’re no longer able to support at a professional level.”

The chief’s announcement reflects a nationwide trend: volunteer emergency services are struggling to recruit and retain members, leaving many communities dependent on paid or regional EMS providers.

(Source Gloucester City News 1988)