Seton Hall, Aspiring Kindness Foundation Support South Orange Rescue Squad With New Emergency Vehicle

Seton Hall University and the Aspiring Kindness Foundation provided funding for a new emergency vehicle for the South Orange Rescue Squad, strengthening the squad’s ability to respond to medical emergencies and support first responders during large-scale incidents in the local community.

While the vehicle’s primary purpose is ambulance response, it is also equipped to support firefighters and emergency personnel during extended calls, fires and mass-casualty events. Its supplies include medical equipment, water, gasoline, blankets, a heater, propane and oxygen, as well as food and other necessities. Additional lighting equipment can also help illuminate scenes during triage and emergency response.

“This partnership is a great example of how organizations can come together to support the people who keep our communities safe,” said Monica Burnette, vice president of Student Services at Seton Hall University. “Supporting the South Orange Rescue Squad means supporting our neighbors and helping ensure that local first responders have the resources they need when they are called upon to serve.”

Representatives from Seton Hall and the Aspiring Kindness Foundation recently joined members of the South Orange Rescue Squad to learn more about the vehicle and its capabilities. Monica Burnette, Sergio Oliva and Corey Feuler, a representative from the Aspiring Kindness Foundation, attended the visit, along with Victor Rothstein, EMS supervisor for the South Orange Rescue Squad.

Rothstein explained that the vehicle has already been used for multiple fire rehabilitation calls, providing firefighters with water, food, medical supplies and other necessities while they remain on the scene. It is also ready to be deployed during mass-casualty events, when additional emergency resources may be needed.

The vehicle is believed to be one of the few, if not the only, of its kind in Essex County. In addition to supporting the South Orange Rescue Squad’s day-to-day emergency response, it provides a resource that can assist neighboring communities during larger incidents.

The partnership reflects the importance of collaboration among local organizations in strengthening emergency services. For Seton Hall, supporting the Rescue Squad provided an opportunity to contribute to the well-being of its neighbors and the first responders who serve them.

The new vehicle is now in service, giving the South Orange Rescue Squad additional equipment, supplies and support to help meet the needs of residents and emergency personnel when they need them most.

Categories: Community Engagement, Health and Medicine