Millstone Township firefighters should consider creating a first responder program as long as it wouldn't usurp the Millstone Township First Aid Squad's position in the community or raise taxes.

If a first responder program, which relies on trained firefighters equipped with medical tools, would reduce the amount of wait time for residents in an emergency situation, we're all for it.

We believe there is a way that the firefighters and the first aid squad can improve communications and prioritize calls so that they can best respond to any emergency situation.

For instance, if the first aid squad is out on a call, a first responder team could assist on other emergency calls. Also, if the first aid squad cannot get a rig out on an emergency call, a first responder team could immediately respond. This way, residents would have immediate medical attention while waiting for a mutual aid ambulance to arrive on the scene.

We are not advocating that a first responder team go out on every emergency call, as calls range in severity and that would be unnecessary, but we would like to see the emergency-service teams work together to come up with a dispatch system that would provide the greatest benefit to all residents.

Because Millstone voters turned down the fire budget two years in a row, we're not asking for a costly program.

Luckily, six of the 10 career firefighters in town already have emergency medical technician (EMT) certification, three more are attending an EMT program, and Millstone taxpayers already pay to staff the fire station from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day. Better use of these already available resources therefore seems to be the next logical step.

We sincerely hope that the firefighters and first aid squad can come to some form of agreement to improve communications and cooperation - especially given that American Heart Association (AHA) research states that early cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and defibrillation save lives.