The Teaneck Volunteer Ambulance Corps will accept members from Leonia's ambulance service after the borough's volunteer squad was closed in favor of a paid emergency medical service, officials said.  

Leonia's volunteer ambulance squad officially shut down just after midnight New Year's Day and emergency medical calls were turned over to ambulances from Englewood Hospital and Medical Center. The move came after Leonia's borough council and mayor awarded a contract to Englewood hospital to handle emergency medical calls, said Leonel Morales, captain of the now defunct volunteer squad.

Although there was hometown pride in Leonia, some of the squad's approximately 19 volunteer members have expressed interest in serving with the Teaneck Volunteer Ambulance Corps.

"As disheartening as it is wearing another jacket in another town, it's a mission," Morales said. "It was upsetting that the town moved in this direction."

TVAC Capt. Michael Rothschild said he extended the offer to Leonia's members because of a shared belief in volunteer service. 

"We believe volunteerism should be alive and well," Rothschild said.

The exact amount of Leonia members, if any, who will join Teaneck's 140-member ambulance squad was not yet known, but Rothschild said any number would be welcomed.

"Every member we get is a home run," he said. 

Although all basic emergency medical services use a statewide EMT certification program, Rothschild said anyone joining TVAC would likely need at least three months of additional training on Teaneck's equipment.  There is no residency requirement to join TVAC.

Under the most recent contract, Englewood hospital took over weekly overnight and weekend ambulance service in Leonia.  The hospital's ambulances were already providing daytime service to the borough as part of an existing contract, the hospital said in a press release.

"As part of the agreement, Englewood Hospital will provide 24/7 routine medical transport, critical care and 9-1-1 aid to Borough residents.  A dedicated Englewood Hospital ambulance will be available in Leonia around-the-clock," the release said.

Patients will be charged for ambulance service from Englewood hospital, according to hospital spokeswoman Maria Margiotta.  Leonia residents will not be charged co-pays or deductibles and the borough will pay up to $50 for each co-pay or uninsured resident.  The cost to insurance will be around $250 per ambulance call, Margiotta said.  The hospital was working to provide a more specific cost Monday afternoon.

Leonia's volunteer squad was free, however, cost is not the only downside to a paid ambulance service, Morales said.  In a borough of around 8,000 people, volunteers often had personal relationships with the patients they treated.  Those relationships helped put patients at ease during stressful emergency situations.

"It was neighbors helping neighbors," Morales said.

He also said the volunteer squad helped start the medical careers of many local high school students.

Even with support from other volunteer ambulance services, Morales said the closure was difficult for his squad.  Members still planned to celebrate 65 years of service to the borough and hoped to raise more support for the volunteer service. 

"For me, it's been 25 years. It's tough," he said.