Montgomery EMS - Squad 47 Rescue

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Montgomery EMS - Squad 47 Rescue

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The official page of Montgomery EMS - a 24x7 all-volunteer EMS squad serving Montgomery Township, NJ

Montgomery Emergency Medical Services (MEMS) (formerly Montgomery Township First Aid Squad) is an all volunteer member organization which provides 9-1-1 emergency basic life support ambulance service 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to the 22,254 residents (2010 census) as well as visitors to the the township of Montgomery, NJ, and does so with absolutely no charge due to voluntary contributions from local residents and businesses. In addition, MEMS will provide non-emergency ambulance transport service for Township residents. MEMS also performs standbys at fire scenes, community events, and serves as back-up (known as mutual aid) to neighboring towns. In 2018, our 70+ professional volunteers donated more than 35,000 hours of being on duty, waiting to respond at a moment's notice, and covering 99.9% of our 1,433 calls. MEMS maintains three ambulances at our headquarters on Harlingen Road. One ambulance is kept at Station 46 Fire in Blawenburg on Route 518 for quicker responses to the southern part of the township. Furthermore, 2 First Response vehicles are available for the Crew Chief/Senior EMT to take home for their shift, ensuring quick response to emergencies (current average response time is 6.1 minutes.)

10/29/2026

🚨Read about our First Responder of the Month, Michael Reeder! 🚨
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Halfway through an interview about his experiences with Montgomery EMS (MEMS), Michael Reeder’s pager alerted him to a 911 call. “I got a call. I gotta run,” he said, abruptly ending the conversation. It was a fitting interruption for someone who spent nearly 30 years thinking about becoming an EMT before finally deciding it was time.

After college, Reeder faced a choice between medical school and graduate studies in chemistry. Chemistry won, eventually leading to a Ph.D. in synthetic organic chemistry and a career in industry. But his interest in medicine and helping others never disappeared. “Becoming an EMT was actually a 30-year bucket-list goal for me,” Reeder said. “About two years ago, I decided that if I was going to do this, I was going to do it now.”

His path to Montgomery EMS began close to home. Reeder had long seen MEMS ambulances around town and at Montgomery High School football games. Then MEMS responded to a medical emergency involving his father. While riding in the front of the ambulance, Reeder helped explain his father’s condition to the crew. MEMS member Shrini Joshi, who was driving that day, noticed his interest and suggested that he consider volunteering. Shortly afterward, Reeder joined MEMS as a driver. He later completed EMT school while still working full time. “It’s a true commitment in both time and training,” he said. Balancing work, EMT classes, studying and shifts required discipline, but MEMS’ flexible scheduling and the support of his wife made it possible.

Reeder says serving first as a driver gave him an appreciation for the teamwork behind every ambulance call. A driver must safely manage the ambulance, crew, patient and sometimes family members while navigating traffic, road conditions and weather. The EMT, meanwhile, focuses intensely on caring for the patient. “The roles are very different, but they need good communication and teamwork to deliver the best care,” he said.

Ask Reeder about his most memorable call, however, and he doesn’t choose one. Instead, he tries to learn something from every call. “People don’t call 911 because they’re having a good day,” he said. “What gives me pride, satisfaction and energy is when a patient or family member expresses gratitude that we came to help them, no matter what time of day it is.”

That sense of service has also changed how Reeder views the simple act of dialing 911. Before joining MEMS, he admits, he largely took for granted that help would arrive within minutes. Now he understands the training, coordination and personal commitment required to make that happen around the clock. “It was humbling,” he said. “I had no idea about everything that happens behind the scenes. And that people volunteer for this.”

For Reeder, that may be the most remarkable part of Montgomery EMS: neighbors of different ages and backgrounds learning together, supporting one another and answering the community’s calls for help. “Whether I’m working with a 16-year-old or a 60-year-old, you can learn something from anybody,” he said. “It’s an amazing team of people committed to helping their community and each other.”

10/28/2026

Today, on National First Responders Day, we recognize the dedication and sacrifice of our members who put their busy lives aside every day to provide care for our community at a moments notice. You might recognize the faces of our members around town. Many of them are scientists, students, engineers, veterans, and retirees. But when they put on their uniform, they are ready to set aside their own lives to help others. 24/7, 365 days a year, whether in the middle of the night or in the heart of a hurricane, our members are ready to drop everything to serve you. If you see an EMT, paramedic, firefighter, police officer, 911 operator, or any other first responder, thank them for their selfless service today and everyday.

10/27/2026

MEMS had a frightfully good time at the Montgomery Trunk or Treat event this past weekend! Our decorating crew spent hours turning one of our rigs into a full-blown haunted ambulance! Thanks to every little ghoul, goblin, superhero, and princess who stopped by to grab candy and say hi!

All of our members are 100% volunteer and give up their time to serve our community, whether it’s by handing out candy or answering 911 calls in the middle of the night. Want to join us? No experience needed. Send us a message or check out our website for more information! 🎃🚑

10/21/2026

Join us for our annual Open House!

📅 Sunday, November 1st | 1 PM – 4 PM
📍 Montgomery EMS, 8 Harlingen Road

At our Open House, you can:
🚑 Take a tour of our station, ambulances, and life-saving equipment.
🚨 Watch engaging live demos of our crews responding to simulated emergencies.
💬 Learn about volunteer opportunities and meet our dedicated members.
🍕 Enjoy free food and drinks.

This event is family-friendly, so bring your kids! We will even have a remote controlled mini ambulance that can talk! Stop by and experience what it’s like to be part of Montgomery EMS.

10/06/2026

At 10:49pm last night, MEMS was dispatched alongside the Montgomery and Rocky Hill fire companies for a smoke condition that was quickly upgraded to a first alarm structure fire. As our duty crew was responding to the scene, MEMS scrambled additional manpower to staff our fire rehab unit as well as multiple additional ambulances. MEMS treated and transported multiple patients from the incident, in addition to treating and releasing a few firefighters. EMS crews remained on scene for 5 hours providing rehabilitation services throughout the duration of the incident. In total, MEMS staffed 3 ambulances, 3 first responder vehicles, and 1 rehab unit at the incident.

Our squad prides itself on being 100% volunteer, 100% of the time. The MEMS members who responded to this fire are your friends, family, and neighbors who drop everything to serve our community. We are always looking for new members to join our all-volunteer team. Visit our website at www.mems47.org or stop by our station any night at 7pm to learn more!

Some images sourced from Montgomery Township Volunteer Fire Company No. 2.

10/02/2026

Join us for our annual Open House!

📅 Sunday, November 1st | 1 PM – 4 PM
📍 Montgomery EMS, 8 Harlingen Road

At our Open House, you can:
🚑 Take a tour of our station, ambulances, and life-saving equipment.
🚨 Watch engaging live demos of our crews responding to simulated emergencies.
💬 Learn about volunteer opportunities and meet our dedicated members.
🍕 Enjoy free food and drinks.

This event is family-friendly — bring your kids and experience what it’s like to be part of Montgomery EMS!

09/27/2026

🚨Read about our First Responder of the Month, Sahaana Rangaraj!🚨
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When Sahaana Rangaraj joined Montgomery EMS as a cadet in 10th grade, she was primarily looking for a way to experience medicine firsthand. What Rangaraj found was something much broader: a chance to serve her community, learn from people she might never otherwise meet, and develop skills that continue to shape her life. “I didn’t really understand how much of an impact Montgomery EMS had on the community when I first joined,” Rangaraj recalls. “I just wanted to experience medicine in the best way I could. But I learned that every patient influences my life in some way. Those are experiences I carry with me.”

One of her most memorable calls was also her first. While transporting a patient who had suffered a mini-stroke, Rangaraj was surprised when the woman’s immediate concern was not the ambulance ride, but her lipstick. “She looked at me and said, ‘Do you have my lipstick?’ Then she told me she wasn’t leaving without it,” Rangaraj remembers with a laugh. The moment stuck with her because it was a reminder that behind every medical call is simply a person going through an unexpected and often frightening moment. Other calls have been far more difficult, including her first experience with a patient who had died before the crew arrived. Those experiences, Rangaraj says, made the responsibility of being an EMT very real.

EMS has also taught her lessons that extend well beyond medicine. “I learned to listen a lot more than I talk,” Rangaraj says. “You have to really listen to someone, absorb what they are saying, and then respond.” She also credits EMS with teaching her empathy, quick decision-making, and how to work effectively as part of a team.

Now a student at Boston University, Rangaraj continues to ride with Montgomery EMS whenever she is home during school breaks. Her EMS experience has helped her pursue hospital and research opportunities in Boston, and she hopes eventually to attend medical school and become a physician, perhaps a surgeon.

For Rangaraj, what began as an interest in medicine has become something more: an education in people, service, teamwork, and life.

09/11/2026

25 years ago today, 2,977 people were killed in the attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and Flight 93, including 39 people from Somerset County. Among them were 411 emergency responders consisting of 343 FDNY firefighters, 60 police officers, and 10 EMTs and paramedics.

On the morning of 9/11, the call went out for New Jersey EMS squads to help move patients being ferried from Manhattan to Liberty State Park. More than 1,000 volunteers in 400+ ambulances from 300+ NJ agencies responded. Montgomery EMS was one of the squads that joined this effort. MEMS members Barbara Vaning, Colette Fox, Bill Forbes, and Teri Peterson were on that assignment.

Before they left, the crews staged at the Bridgewater mall to join the rest of the Somerset County convoy. Once the group was together, they drove into New York City. One of the most vivid memories of the MEMS crew that responded that day was when they were driving along Route 78 towards the city. As they approached, they suddenly realized they could not see the Twin Towers after the collapse. All they could see were smoldering heaps from 12 miles away. As they entered into the city the crew remembers the eerie feeling of seeing no other traffic at the Lincoln Tunnel toll plaza except for the column of ambulances heading into Manhattan. The convoy eventually assembled at Liberty State Park waiting for patients who never came.

Over the next two weeks, FDNY EMS asked NJ squads for continued help, and MEMS sent ambulances and crew into the city three more times:

9/14 — 5 members, standby at station, 6 hrs
9/15 — 5 members, Ground Zero, 18 hrs
9/20 — 2 members, Ground Zero, 14 hrs

Rick Kozaryn, Barbara Vaning, Bill Forbes, Teri Peterson, Rob Giguere, Heather Berry, and Peter Jozwick were just a few of the members who made up those crews. Three of those members, Peter, Barbara, and Bill, continue to ride and contribute to MEMS to this day, 25 years later.

09/02/2026

At 8:30pm last night, Montgomery EMS was dispatched to a multi-family residential building for a smoke condition that was quickly upgraded to a first alarm structure fire. Our duty crew immediately assembled and responded to the scene to provide initial care for any potential patients. Meanwhile, additional fire rehab and transporting crews consisting of off-duty members were assembled to provide support at the scene. Firefighters from Montgomery Township Volunteer Fire Company No. 1, Montgomery Township Volunteer Fire Company No. 2, and Rocky Hill Fire Department worked to put the fire out, with support from 8 mutual aid fire companies, the Somerset County Office of Emergency Management , the Montgomery Township Fire Marshalls, and the Montgomery Township Police Department.

Thanks to the rapid containment of the fire and coordinated evacuation of building residents, there were no reported injuries. The fire, believed to be initiated by a direct lightning strike during yesterday’s storm, caused enough damage to displace the residents of three involved apartments. Local officials are now working to secure temporary housing for the displaced residents.

Our crews remained on scene for several hours, providing rehabilitation services to the firefighters and emergency personnel at the scene. In total, MEMS staffed 2 ambulances, 1 rehab unit, and 1 first responder vehicle at the incident.

The coordinated response of emergency crews at this incident, almost all of whom were volunteers, reflects the professionalism and commitment of our town’s emergency services. Montgomery EMS is always at the ready, at any hour, under any circumstance.

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We are always looking for new members to join our all-volunteer team. Visit our website at www.mems47.org or stop by our station any night at 7pm to learn more!

08/25/2026

🚨Read about our First Responder of the Month, Jasmin Patel! 🚨
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For years, Jasmin Patel saw Montgomery EMS as a familiar presence in the community. She noticed its ambulances and first responder vehicles around town and saw members providing support at local events. A first responder vehicle was also regularly parked outside the home of her neighbor, Montgomery EMS member Prasad Potluri. As Patel grew older, that familiarity developed into curiosity—and eventually a desire to serve. “I wanted to be part of something that mattered,” Patel said. “I liked how community-oriented Montgomery EMS was. When someone was having a difficult day, I wanted to be part of the team that could help.”

Patel joined the Montgomery EMS cadet program as a high school sophomore. She recently graduated and will attend Rutgers University this fall. Balancing school, EMS shifts, training, meetings and patient-care reports required discipline. Patel said the experience helped her become much more organized and taught her to complete assignments before reporting for a shift. She also found a strong support system within the squad. “Everyone was always willing to help,” Patel said. “It wasn’t only help with schoolwork. People gave me advice about life in general. Some of that advice has stayed with me, and I still use it today.

Patel said the cadets formed an especially close bond. They attended EMT classes together, participated in drills and shared the experience of responding to calls. “When you go through something like EMT class together and then begin riding on the ambulance, you become very close,” she said. “The cadets became another group of friends and a second family.

One patient interaction remains particularly meaningful. Patel was helping care for a frightened pediatric patient when she learned that the child loved fairies. During the ambulance ride, the two talked about fairies, helping the child become calmer. Seeing her daughter relax also helped reassure the child’s mother. Months later, the mother sent Montgomery EMS a thank-you note. Patel still remembers it vividly. “The medical care was important, but what stayed with the family was that someone took the time to talk with her and comfort her,” Patel said. “Receiving that note meant so much to me. It reminds me why we do this and motivates me to keep helping people.

Patel believes empathy is one of the most important skills she gained. “People often meet us during one of the worst moments of their lives,” she said. “Sometimes they need someone who will simply listen and be there for them. Her enthusiasm also inspired another volunteer. After hearing Patel describe how enriching and rewarding her Montgomery EMS experience had been, her father became increasingly curious about the organization. He began asking about the different ways he could contribute and ultimately joined the squad himself.

Although Patel is leaving for Rutgers, she does not plan to leave Montgomery EMS behind. She hopes to volunteer during school breaks and whenever she returns home on weekends. “I can’t imagine Montgomery EMS not being part of my life,” she said. “It has become a second home.”

Address

8 Harlingen Road
Belle Mead, NJ
08502

Website

https://linktr.ee/montgomeryems

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