After over ten years in the making, last week SBES’ Chief Frank Setnicky and Administrative Chief Bucky Buchanan had the opportunity to meet with local, County and Federally elected officials to tour the first if 3 phases of the new, expanded construction at the Hunterdon County Emergency Services Training Center in the Annandale section of Clinton Township.

Setnicky and Buchanan, who have both represented the County’s EMS Chiefs Association and the services provided by local EMS/Rescue providers since the inception of the project, were joined by other committee members from the Fire Chiefs Association, Police Chiefs Association and Training Center instructors for a tour of phase 1, the “burn building” and initial technical rescue training props. The tour was designed to give a first hand loom to the County Commissioners who have provided the funding for the majority of the initial phase, as well as to Senator Cory Booker and Representative Tom Kean, who helped secure additional funding for expanding the classroom space, as well as addition a backup facility for the county’s 9-1-1 site located in Cherryville section of Franklin Township.

During the tour, lead by Public Safety Director Brayden Fahey, a walk through showed the current status and locations for the future projects, the administrative and classroom building, parking areas and vehicle storage building, all items that are greatly lacking at the current, aging facility, sitting just in poor shape just just away from the updated complex.

Local officials from Clinton Township and the Town of Clinton were joined by County Commissioners, County Sheriff, County Prosecutor, County Administrator and staff from both Booker and Kean’s offices over the 2 day visit.

The new facility has already begun hosting technical rescue training programs attended by our rescue company volunteers, and will soon be open for firefighter training. Once phase 2 is complete, plans are in place to utilize the new space and expand the current EMT program we offer to the entire county, which is supported by the County DPS.

SBES would like to thank all those involved so far for making all this possible for the better preparedness of not only our responders, but those across the County and region.

we look forward to continuing to work with the committee and all those who have helped secure the funding to date, as well as the funding necessary to complete future additions that will provide for safe, realistic training for all our responders.

Congratulations to EMT Jessica Bartelloni on her recent graduation from American Public University with a Bachelors of Arts in Psychology.

Instead of "walking" for her graduation, Jessica, who is currently our full-time Operations Lieutenant, decided to go to her happiest place on earth, Disney World.  She graduated Magna Cum Laude, which is a great reason to celebrate.   

Lt. Bartelloni joined the SBES family in June of 2022 and was promoted into the Ops Lt. position last November.  

Up next?  Jessica will be working towards her Masters in Public Administration.  

Congratulations to volunteer EMT Patrick "Rick" Kochanowski who graduated today from North Hunterdon High School.  Patrick joined the SBES family in the summer of 2020 and attended our EMT course in the fall of that year., successfully earning his National Registry EMT.  

Patrick currently serves as a volunteer Team Member-Driver with our department.  He'll be headed to Syracuse University to study Finance, with a scholarship from the Annandale Hose Company.  

EMT Kochanowski currently resides in Clinton Township.  

Congratulations to Anthony Pasculli who graduated from North Hunterdon High School this morning!   Having joined SBES in November of 2021 as a volunteer Cadet, Anthony joined us as part of our partnership with the Hunterdon County Votech system and served as an Intern several days a week, earning credits towards his schooling. 

Anthony continues to serve as a volunteer in our Rescue Company and will be continuing his education in trade school for the low voltage trade.

Rescuer Pasculli is a resident of Franklin Township, Hunterdon County.  

Congratulations continue this morning with graduate Clayton Tomlinson, volunteer Cadet EMT.   Clayton joined SBES in January 2022, completed in the Fall, and passed in National Registry in January 2023.  He was part of our Cadet Competition Team last season.

Residing in Alexandria Township, Clayton attended the Hunterdon County Academies and graduated as the 2023 Valedictorian from Hunterdon County Vocational School District.  

Up next?  He is headed to Johns Hopkins University to study Molecular and Cellular Biology.  

Congratulations to EMT Team Member Shane Pierson on your graduation from Voorhees High School this morning.

Shane joined the Squad as a volunteer Cadet in January 2022, attended EMT Class in the Fall of last year, and was promoted to Team Member, where he serves today.

EMT Pierson is from Glen Gardner Borough.

The 2023 Spring Raffle benefiting South Branch Emergency Services was held this past week.  We would like to congratulate all those who not only purchased a ticket, but those who purchased winning tickets.  

Be sure to watch out for our next public raffle in the Spring of 2024!

Our next graduate is Jeel Patel, a volunteer EMT with South Branch since May 2018.  Jeel, who is one of our Cadet Advisors as well as a Team Member, graduated on Monday from Seton Hall University, where she earned a B.S. in Biology, Magna Cum Laude. 

EMT Patel stated upon her graduation that she is "looking forward to applying what I've learned this past year in PA School as a volunteer EMT at SBES".  She added that she is "grateful for having joined Clinton First Aid & Rescue Squad (now SBES) as a cadet in high school which helped me solidify my decision of choosing a profession in the medical field". 

Jeel, one of our more active volunteers when not at school, heads off to Physician Assistant school for her 2nd semester next week.   She completed her first semester while at Seton Hall as part of their Interprofessional Health Sciences Campus.  

Congrats Jeel and best of luck this semester!  

Congratulations to EMT Audrey Riccitelli, who graduated late last week from The College of New Jersey with a BS in Biology.   Audrey, who has been a volunteer with SBES since January 2020, currently serves as a Team Member EMT as well as one of our Cadet Advisors.  

EMT Riccitelli graduated summa cum laude, majoring in Biology, and double minors in Chemistry and Philosophy.  She is a member of two national honor societies, Phi Beta Kappa and Phi Kappa Phi. 

And even further congratulations as Audrey has just been accepted into medical school!  After a short break, and some ride time, she's off to Rowan School of Osteopathic Medicine to get her DO in emergency medicine.  

Great Job Audrey!  

Our first of the season congratulations goes out to EMT Emily Hajduk, and per diem EMT with South Branch Emergency Services.   

Emily graduated from The College of New Jersey, earning a B.S. in Accounting, Summa cum laude - highest honors.  

EMT Hajduk also serves with the NJ National Guard Medical Corps. 

Congrats Emily!  Great job!