Introduction
Always ready to serve, 24 hours a day, and taken entirely for granted until we need one, Camden has had ambulance and emergency medical services for many years. On this page their Camden story will be told, and before we go any further, a big thank you to these unheralded heroes.
A Brief Recent History of the Ambulance Service in Camden
Camden’s new automobile police patrol and ambulance were put in service on July 14, 1910. One of the first drivers was Albert S. York, who eventually rose to the rank of Sergeant on the Camden Police Department.
Prior to late 1973, the Ambulance Squad was being run by the City Police and Fire Departments. At that time the City of Camden started hiring Civilian Ambulance Drivers. Some employees had basic first aid. From the early 1960s through November of 1974 the Ambulance service was under the Camden City Police Department.
In November of 1974, the responsibility for operating the Ambulance service was transferred to the City of Camden Department of Health, with the City of Camden hiring Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT’s). The ambulance drivers that were already working, trained the new EMT’s on the street, and then, the City sent all the ambulance drivers to EMT school in February of 1975.
The ambulances in 1974 was then stationed at the First Police District headquarters at 5th Street and Taylor Avenue. In November of that year, they were moved to the old Convention Center which was on Haddon Avenue and Mickle Boulevard, across from Cooper Hospital, and after a relatively short time moved again, this time to the Third Police District house at 27th and Federal Streets, behind the Firehouse. In June of 1976 the Ambulance moved once again, this time to a building that had been a Gulf gasoline station for over 30 years.
The City of Camden ran the Emergency Medical Service, which was called City of Camden Emergency Medical Service, from late 1973 to June 1980 at which time they contracted the Emergency Medical Service to a private company called Certified from North New Jersey. The ambulance service was then known as the Camden Emergency Medical Service. In September of 1986 the Emergency Medical Service was taken over by UMDNJ–University Hospital, from Newark New Jersey, which still operates the Emergency Medical Services, in both Newark and Camden.
Camden's First Ambulance
FIRST AMBULANCE — Lts. William Bryant (left) and Fred Schweitzer of the Camden City Police Department worked as a team more than 50 years ago on the city’s first ambulance. The department first began using the horse-drawn buggies for ambulance purposes in 1907. Prior to that the vehicles were used as patrol wagons only. The fire department was first mechanized in 1910 and the other departments soon followed suit.
Photos
One of the Camden EMS/Certified Type II ambulances in front of the quarters of Engine 8 / Ladder 2 — 619 Kaighn Avenue circa 1983
Chief Richard Tremper with UMDNJ EMS Supervisor’s Vehicle — circa 1990
UMDNJ SOG (Special Operations Group) Trailer — set up for Mass Casualty Incidents and coverage of special events. Circa 1995.
One of the four original UMDNJ Type II ambulances — 1986 Ford E-350 Excellance Ambulance. Photo from 1986.
The first UMDNJ Supervisor’s Response Vehicle — photo circa 1987
The second UMDNJ Supervisor’s Response Vehicle — photo circa 1987
Camden EMS/Certified Type II Ford ambulance — this vehicle was purchased used and was later totaled at Haddon Avenue & Newton Avenue. Photo circa 1985.
A rare photo of the final 14th Ward Volunteer Ambulance — photo circa 1985
UMDNJ Rescue 2 Unit — this short-lived unit was active around 1987. The apparatus was shipped up to Newark after strife with CFD over rescue services.
Camden Fire Department personnel assist a Camden EMS/Certified unit — unit was stuck in the snow. Photo circa 1985.
Camden EMS/Certified Chevrolet Type II ambulance — photo circa 1985
Two of the original UMDNJ EMS Type III Ford E-One Ambulances in front of the NJ State Aquarium — circa 1994
EMS Patches
Fire and Ambulance Response — 3155 Merriel Avenue — September 13, 2011
Denis O’Reilly — Amy Pacione
Fire and ambulance response at 3155 Merriel Avenue — September 13, 2011
Fire and Ambulance Response — 1017 Penn Street — October 16, 2011
The response is told on Fire and Ambulance Response at 1017 Penn Street — October 16, 2011.
Daniel Payne — Battalion Chief Anthony Phelps — Amy Pacione
Fire and ambulance response — 1017 Penn Street, October 16, 2011
Northeast Corner of Penn Street and Chester Street — October 16, 2011
300 Block of Chester Street — October 16, 2011
Rubbish Fire at the Former Coriell Institute — December 4, 2011
The response is told on December 4, 2011 fire at the former Coriell Institute site.
Ambulances standing by on Copewood Street while Camden Fire Department extinguishes a rubbish fire at the former Coriell Institute site from Thorn Street — December 4, 2011, 7:43 PM
Motor Vehicle Accident Response — May 6, 2012
The response is told on May 6, 2012 — 9:52 PM fire response.
Ambulance and EMS personnel on Mickle Boulevard west of Haddon Avenue in response to a motor vehicle accident — May 6, 2012, 9:52 PM
Acknowledgements
Thanks to Steve Skipton, Debbie Day, Gary J. Olive, and Richard Tremper for help in creating this page.