First aid volunteers around New Jersey are upset about the state's proposal to cut the training funds for emergency medical technicians.

Gov. Jon S. Corzine's proposed reallocation of $4 million to the general treasury would not bring relief to taxpayers, said John J. Szurlej, who has been a volunteer and board member with the Sayreville Emergency Squad for five years. If volunteer first aid squads lose that much funding from the state, it could wreak havoc on the EMS system, he said.

"That would leave it at basically nothing for the entire state of volunteer EMTs to draw from collectively," Szurlej said.

Volunteers discussed the potential impact of the cut to the EMT training fund at a fundraising event held at the Sayreville Emergency Squad building on Washington Road on May 23. The squad dates back as a volunteer organization to 1936, Szurlej said, and the fourth annual EMS Day event included cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training, a live emergency demonstration, live entertainment and a raffle.

The event served the dual purpose of raising funds for volunteer efforts and making the public aware of the deleterious impact that the proposed budget cuts would have on taxpayers and the volunteer organizations that provide essential services to them, Szurlej said.

"We invite people to learn what we do as a squad for the community," Szurlej said. "… More importantly, because this is going on, we want to educate the public about what we do and what could happen."

Some emergency squads in more populous cities and an increasing number of area towns generate revenue by billing patients or their insurance carriers for services. The Sayreville Emergency Squad, however, is made up entirely of volunteers and does not charge for its services.

"We're 100 percent volunteer, 24/7, 365 days a year," Szurlej said. "We really want the people to see where their money goes to and the benefit it provides. Many organizations can't rub two nickels together. It's a volatile situation with the budget cuts and how it affects the entire state."

Szurlej noted that the state would take away their volunteer status if they billed patients for the service. He said that it is wrong to pass the buck to the local taxpayer, and he encouraged local officials to write to the state and voice opposition to the cuts.

"We would appreciate if they did that and we encourage residents to write as well," Szurlej said.

East Brunswick Rescue Squad member Mary Kerslake said that a regular member of the squad serves a minimum of 36 hours per week, not including time for training and cleaning the facility and ambulances. Kerslake, a former squad president and captain who has served with East Brunswick's lone volunteer emergency squad for over 30 years, said it is important that the state continue paying for the training, because municipalities will not be able to fund it.

"The municipal budget is so tight now, I doubt they could [fund it]," Kerslake said. "It would mean that volunteers would have to pay for the training out of their own pockets, or the squads, which are absolutely stretched, would have to find the monies."

Organizations would have greater difficulty recruiting volunteers if the state moves forward with the proposed cuts, since the EMT course costs hundreds of dollars, Kerslake said. She noted that the source of the state's training fund is traffic violations, and 50 cents from each violation goes toward volunteer training.

"And that's how it's funded," Kerslake said. "It doesn't really come out of anybody's budget. It's just the unfortunate people who get tickets."

Kerslake is a delegate to the New Jersey State First Aid Council, an Asbury Park-based nonprofit organization that opposes the cuts, which Kerslake said will hurt all volunteer squads in the state.

"We're still hoping that the governor will change his mind," Kerslake said.

The first aid council's website states that the fund has allowed thousands of EMTs to earn and maintain their certifications without personal expense or cost to their squads. It therefore acts as a recruitment and retention tool. Kerslake said that New Jersey's 365 volunteer squads answered 404,489 calls, traveled 5,643,886 miles and put in 2,611,898 man-hours in 2007. She said that squads like the East Brunswick Rescue Squad are needed in the communities they serve.

"We are a very busy squad," Kerslake said. "We have four ambulances. Sometimes they are out all at the same time."

Kerslake asked that those interested in making a donation to the squad visit www.ebrs.org or call 732-238-8739.

Szurlej said that donations can be brought to the Sayreville Emergency Squad building or mailed to P.O. Box 9, Sayreville, NJ 08871.