In New Jersey, police and fire services are considered “necessary services” by law, however, ambulance services are not. That means municipalities are not required to fund ambulances or first aid squads, and countless towns rely on under-resourced entirely volunteer squads or hospital services to save lives. This petition calls on the New Jersey State Legislature to formally classify ambulance services as necessary public services, guaranteeing funding to every volunteer first aid squad across the state.

By making EMS a required municipal service, New Jersey can ensure every volunteer first aid squad receives baseline funding. This will allow for quicker response times as these volunteer first aid squads will not be as understaffed or underprepared. Most importantly, this would make all Basic Life Support (BLS) ambulance rides free statewide. No New Jersey resident should have to choose between calling 911 and avoiding a medical bill.

We are urging lawmakers to treat EMS as the public safety pillar it truly is alongside police and fire. You never know when you will need to use an EMS service. It is always safer to have it ready.

Across New Jersey, ambulance response times and costs vary drastically. In rural counties like Sussex and Warren, average EMS response times exceed 23 minutes, while more urban areas like Camden County average just over 10 minutes. Meanwhile, the average cost on the patient of a Basic Life Support ambulance ride in the U.S. is $940, and New Jersey residents can face bills of $1,200 or more. By classifying ambulance services as a necessary service and guaranteeing funding for volunteer squads, we can eliminate these surprise bills, stabilize our volunteer squads, and ensure timely emergency care for every resident, regardless of where they live or how much they earn.

Funding every volunteer first aid squad in New Jersey is estimated to cost about $156 million per year, which is less than 0.3% of the state’s $56.6 billion budget. For a fraction of the state budget, we can guarantee free ambulance access to everyone and improve response times in communities that need it. This is not just a healthcare improvement it’s a commitment to equality and safety for everyone.