It's EMT Recognition Week, and with the weather warming up, volunteers at the Morganville First Aid have to be ready for all sorts of emergencies.

Last year, the squad responded to 960 calls and put in more than 16,000 hours of volunteer work, just in Morganville. Temperatures could hit 90 in some locations today, which means calls for heat-related illnesses could start to come into 911 centers. 

Paul Nebb joined the force 17 years ago.

“When I was 12 years old, my grandma had a sudden heart attack and died in the living room before EMS could arrive,” says Nebb. “She was gone and I wanted to help save people so that no other kid would have to go through the pain and agony losing their grandparent needlessly because there wasn't an EMT available.”

Nebb says as communities across New Jersey grow, so does the need for new volunteers.

“A lot of volunteer squads are suffering,” says Nebb. “There are not a lot of volunteers. Too many people are working two and three and four jobs in their household. They don't have the free time. It only takes a couple of hours a week.”

But when you hear the stories of people from the community whose lives were saved by a first responding EMT, they are more than just a volunteer, they become a hero. Hermine Goldstein recalls how volunteers from the Morganville First Aid squad saved her husband's life.

“I had to call 911 and the first aid came. They were there in a matter of minutes, gave him what he needed, transported him to the hospital and those few minutes saved his life,” says Goldstein.

Nebb Paul says if anyone is interested in volunteering, all they have to do is stop by their local first aid squad and fill out some paperwork. They provide the training.