Membership Frequently Asked Questions

Once you submit your application you will be contacted by the membership committee. After a telephone interview, the membership committee member will set you up with an in-person interview. All new members join the squad as a “Student Member“. Student members ride with trained EMT’s on actual calls. After riding on the ambulance, (if applicable) you will be sponsored for the EMT class. Student Members must obtain EMT within one year of enrollment. If you already have your EMT, you will enter our probationary class.

Student members are individuals who join the squad who are not NJ EMT's but who are perusing EMT as a volunteer member of the Wayne First Aid Squad. Student members are required to ride the ambulance as part of a weekly crew before the squad will consider paying and sending an individual to EMT class. During this riding requirement we are evaluating you to see if you a good fit for the first aid squad. And the individual is reviewing us to see if they understand the commitment involved in coming a member of Wayne First Aid.

Probationary members are individuals who already have their NJ EMT. Probationary members are required to ride the ambulance as part of a crew either day crew or night crew. Day members are required to ride 6 hours a week (7-1pm or 1pm- 7pm), Night members are required to ride 12 hours every other week (7pm – 7am). Probationary last 6months to possibly a year. During this time you learn the policies and procedures of the first aid squad as well as train to become an active member of the squad.

Cadets are members of the squad that are 16 or 17 years old. Cadet members are expected to ride for 60 hours before being sponsored for the EMT program. Once a Cadet reaches their 18th birthday, they will automatically be transferred to the Probationary Class. Cadet members will not be allowed to ride the ambulance after 11:00 P.M. on days that precedes a school day or while school is in session. All Cadet members will be under the supervision of an Active Member of the squad at all times. Cadet members are not permitted to drive any squad vehicle.

No, EMT certification is required by the State of NJ to operate an ambulance and to administer patient care. Prospective student members who join the squad have one year to enroll in an EMT course.

In order to join you must submit an online application, once you are accepted to join the squad you will join as a student member. After riding as part of a crew, you will be sponsored (if applicable) for the EMT program first. This is a 3-4 month commitment. We understand the EMT course involves studying and taking quizzes and exams, which is why we want our applicants to only focus on passing the class in order to sit for the National Registry EMT exam. Once the state certifies you as a NJ EMT then you will be brought on as a probationary member of the Wayne First Aid Squad.

You need to have a valid drivers license and a clean driving record to join the Wayne First Aid Squad. All members & probationary members are required to drive the ambulance and as such require a valid drivers license.

No, we are all state certified EMTs

Due to our call volume, the squad offers day or night scheduling. Day members are required to ride 6 hours a week (7-1pm or 1pm- 7pm), Night members are required to ride 12 hours every other week (7pm – 7am). Deviations to this schedule is possible once you become an Active Member, but during your training you will be required to keep a schedule.

Yes, each member is assigned a certain duty slot with a crew that is the same day/night each week.

Courses are available in our area at Passaic County Public safety academy and Bergen County EMS academy. We will help you find and sign up for the EMT course and schedules/start dates once you have completed your student experience.

Average course time is approximately 3-4 months with attending evening classes (3 nights a week) and some weekends. There are no out of pocket cost once your membership application is reviewed/approved, an in-person interview has been conducted and you have satisfied the riding requirement (if sponsored). Once fully approved you will be instructed on how to register for the EMT course free of charge.

To join our cadet program you must be 16 years of age. Our probationary members are 18 and older with a valid US drivers license.

Yes, both a physical and police back ground checks are mandatory.

Yes parent(s)/legal guardian are required to be at the interview with you.

Website applications are reviewed in the order they are received. Our website is the only way to apply. Once an application is reviewed and deemed suitable you will be contacted for an interview.

No, we are all volunteers here to help the community at will.

Unfortunately, due to our heavy call volume, extensive training program and EMT requirements we can not accept short term members.

The age categories for a High School student are 16 to 18 which is a cadet member. At age 18 you become a regular member on probation. After a 1 year maximum probation, you are accepted into the squad as a regular full member. The schedule for any member is daytime or evening. Daytime is 7:00 AM until 1:00 PM or 1:00 PM until 7:00 PM, every week. Evening members are 7:00 PM until 7:00 AM, every other week. Any member in High School cannot pull duty passed 11:00 PM. School always comes first. Any member under the age of 18 must have full permission from their parents or legal guardian. Cadet hours are very flexible and we try to accommodate as much as we can.

Yes. After the desire to help your fellow citizen we offer benefits, including paying for your EMT CEU (continuing education units) and certain training programs beyond your EMT such as HazMat Tech, Heavy Rescue Tech and Water Rescue to name a few. We also provide the following benefits:

  • Meet many friends and neighbors
  • Length of Service Award Program (LOSAP), $1,955 per year in tax deferred income acct
  • Free Membership to Wayne Township Pools & Lakes
  • EMT & CPR Training including recertification
  • Annual clothing allowance
  • Tuition Reimbursement at Passaic County College after one year of active service

The EMT class has 7 module exams, If a student fails any module twice they are out of the EMT class. Once you complete the EMT class and ready to sit for the state exam, student has one year to do the following: Three (3) tries at the state test then a core 13 refresher then three (3) more tries. If you still fail, you would have to retake the entire EMT class. But this is hardly the case, most people pass on 1st or 2nd try.

That is unacceptable, you should join the squad to help out the people of Wayne Township and all who travel though. To prevent this we do ask our applicants who attend EMT class at our expense to sign a two year active service agreement with the squad. This is a legal document though our attorney to you. If you do not complete a minimum of two years of active service, we will ask you to repay the cost of your training generally around $1,800. Unfortunately, we have to do this since individuals in the past have used the squad for selfish personal gains.

If you plan to join to help out the Wayne community and participate in squad activities throughout your college years there is no problem. However, if you are going away to college and can not participate in meetings/drills/events we ask you to wait until school is over or your schedule clears. Since we are investing time and money in your EMT training, we will ask you to sign a two year active service agreement with the squad. If you do not complete two years of active service, you will have to repay the cost of training, generally around $1,800.