He Loves to Learn, Teach, and Help Others with His South Branch Family
Meet South Branch Emergency Services Volunteer EMT and Rescue Associate Jason Mayer
South Branch Emergency Services Volunteer EMT Jason Mayer was barely 20 the day his ambulance crew rushed to the accident.
“The car had overturned, and there was a newborn covered in mud and debris from the highway and crying,” he said. “The parents didn’t speak English. It was hard at first to find out from them what was going on, but they were clearly and understandably very worried.”
One SBES volunteer spoke enough Spanish to glean information from the baby’s parents and assure them that the team would make sure every member of the family was ok. “We are always able to rely on each other, on every volunteer’s different set of skills,” Jason said. He saw the parents’ panic lessen as they saw that their child was getting help.
“I got in the back of one ambulance, and I will always remember those doors closing and how the inside was quiet as we got the baby cleaned up and saw that the baby was not injured,” he said. The baby became calmer, too.
While no injuries were found, two ambulances took the family to the hospital as a precaution. “It was such a good feeling to be able to help a child,” Jason said.
Jason, who lives in Union Township, is now 22. He joined one of South Branch’s founding squads in 2016, took the EMT class the following summer, has served as an EMS Lieutenant and is now a Team Leader, which means he’s the person in charge, and is hoping to become a CPR instructor. He’s also a Clinton firefighter, which was his entry into volunteer first response. “We work closely with the ambulance squad on calls, and that drew me into the medical side of things,” he said.
In addition to teaching him life saving skills, South Branch has taught Jason how to be calm, confident, and professional even in the most stressful situations. “No matter what your career goals are, you have experiences with the squad that are going to help you get there,” he said.
Jason is a full-time student in his senior year at Fairleigh Dickinson University, where he studies Information Technology and Computer Forensics. But he makes time to serve an overnight volunteer shift with South Branch every other Saturday.
“We have a high call volume, and every call that happens is an opportunity to help someone and also to learn more and further yourself in emergency health care,” Jason said. “Plus, it’s a real family atmosphere at the squad – it’s like we’re all brothers and sisters. It’s a fun place to be.”
South Branch Emergency Services is looking for volunteers like you! No experience is necessary, and training and gear are provided for members. Visit sbes365.org to sign up or learn more.
“The car had overturned, and there was a newborn covered in mud and debris from the highway and crying,” he said. “The parents didn’t speak English. It was hard at first to find out from them what was going on, but they were clearly and understandably very worried.”
One SBES volunteer spoke enough Spanish to glean information from the baby’s parents and assure them that the team would make sure every member of the family was ok. “We are always able to rely on each other, on every volunteer’s different set of skills,” Jason said. He saw the parents’ panic lessen as they saw that their child was getting help.
“I got in the back of one ambulance, and I will always remember those doors closing and how the inside was quiet as we got the baby cleaned up and saw that the baby was not injured,” he said. The baby became calmer, too.
While no injuries were found, two ambulances took the family to the hospital as a precaution. “It was such a good feeling to be able to help a child,” Jason said.
Jason, who lives in Union Township, is now 22. He joined one of South Branch’s founding squads in 2016, took the EMT class the following summer, has served as an EMS Lieutenant and is now a Team Leader, which means he’s the person in charge, and is hoping to become a CPR instructor. He’s also a Clinton firefighter, which was his entry into volunteer first response. “We work closely with the ambulance squad on calls, and that drew me into the medical side of things,” he said.
In addition to teaching him life saving skills, South Branch has taught Jason how to be calm, confident, and professional even in the most stressful situations. “No matter what your career goals are, you have experiences with the squad that are going to help you get there,” he said.
Jason is a full-time student in his senior year at Fairleigh Dickinson University, where he studies Information Technology and Computer Forensics. But he makes time to serve an overnight volunteer shift with South Branch every other Saturday.
“We have a high call volume, and every call that happens is an opportunity to help someone and also to learn more and further yourself in emergency health care,” Jason said. “Plus, it’s a real family atmosphere at the squad – it’s like we’re all brothers and sisters. It’s a fun place to be.”
South Branch Emergency Services is looking for volunteers like you! No experience is necessary, and training and gear are provided for members. Visit sbes365.org to sign up or learn more.