Seconds Count: How Ridgewood’s Unique EMS Model Saved a Life in Under 14 Minutes
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Life can change in a heartbeat. For NJ Transit passenger Frank Brennan, that heartbeat stopped on the morning of March 19. What happened next wasn’t just a stroke of luck—it was a masterclass in emergency response and a testament to the Village of Ridgewood’s specialized public safety model.
At the latest Village Council Meeting, a room full of grateful residents and officials honored the men and women of the Ridgewood Police Department (RPD) and Ridgewood Fire Department (RFD) who refused to let Mr. Brennan become a statistic.
A Race Against the Clock
When the call for an “unresponsive party” came in, every second was a currency the first responders couldn’t afford to waste. The RPD and RFD arrived on the scene almost simultaneously, initiating a seamless “hand-in-hand” rescue operation.
The team performed a high-stakes rotation of:
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Continuous Chest Compressions
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Advanced Ventilations
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Multiple Defibrillations
The result? By the time the ambulance reached the hospital, Mr. Brennan had regained a pulse.
The “14-Minute” Advantage
Fire Chief John T. Judge highlighted a startling reality of modern emergency medicine during the ceremony. In many municipalities, 14 minutes is the average wait time just for an ambulance to arrive. In Ridgewood, 14 minutes was the total time from the initial 911 dispatch to the patient entering the hospital doors.
“Quick, decisive care is what saves lives, and the system we have built here works,” Chief Judge stated.
This efficiency is credited to Ridgewood’s FD-based EMS model, where firefighters are cross-trained as EMTs, allowing for a localized, rapid-strike approach to medical crises.
Honoring Our Local Heroes
The Village Council took a moment to individually recognize the responders whose training and composure turned a potential tragedy into a celebration of life.
Ridgewood Police Department Honorees:
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Lt. Michael Lembo
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Sgt. Doug Busche
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Ptl. Kyle Scarpa
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Ptl. Andrew Van Dyke
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Ptl. Edward Moodie
Ridgewood Fire Department Honorees:
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FF/EMT Christopher Mead
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FF/EMT Matthew Bombace
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FF/EMT Ryan Hardt
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FF/EMT Kevin Monton
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FF/EMT Michael Rohrman
In a moving tribute, Frank Brennan joined his lifesavers on stage—a living reminder that when a community invests in its first responders, the return on investment is priceless.
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Tags: * #RidgewoodNJ #FirstResponders #CommunityHeroes #EMS #PublicSafety #LifeSaving #NJTransit
thankfully we have a paid FD that staffs the ambulance. Minutes matter so the response time saves lives
Very true! Evan’s face looks like he desperately needs rescuing! What the heck!
having been an EMT i can tell you first hand how lucky we are to have a paid Fire department and how those first few minutes of this type of emergency matter greatly…thank you