Mountainside Rescue Squad Chief Presents Course to NJ EMS Leaders

According to Mountainside Rescue Squad's announcement on October 9, 2026.

The chief of the Mountainside Rescue Squad has taken his squad's lessons on running a volunteer ambulance corps to EMS leaders from across New Jersey.

Chief Eric D. Pastore presented "Your Agency's Vital Signs" at the EMS Council of New Jersey Convention on Friday, Oct. 9, the squad said in a Facebook post that day. Pastore developed the course with squad attorney Margaret Keavney.

For Union County Life readers, the squad is the borough's own: an independent nonprofit founded in 1938 and staffed entirely by volunteers. It runs two ambulances, Rescue 1 (1071) and Rescue 2 (1072), with volunteer EMTs and cadets.

The course is built to help volunteer EMS leaders spot signs of decline in their agencies, find the causes and take practical steps toward lasting improvement. It covers leadership, training, professional standards, recruitment and retention, culture, financial health, community relationships and a practical 90 day improvement plan.

Pastore joined the squad in March 2008 and has been chief for the last ten years. He is a full time police officer and runs the squad's daily operations. He is also one of five Union County EMS Coordinators, who respond across the county to more complex incidents.

The squad has been honored before. In 2024, it was named Prehospital Program of the Year at the National Conference on EMS awards dinner in Atlantic City for its work in quality improvement, education and patient care, according to the NJ EMS Task Force.

In its post, the squad said it hopes its lessons and improvements can "help strengthen volunteer EMS organizations throughout New Jersey." The squad is funded mainly by donations and by grants from the Borough of Mountainside and charitable foundations.

The post does not say where the convention was held, how many people attended or whether the course will be offered again. The squad's headquarters is at 1399 Route 22 East. Its website does not list office hours.

Residents can learn about joining or supporting the squad by calling its nonemergency line at 908-233-6338 or visiting ems22.com. In an emergency, call 911. Find more Mountainside news on Union County Life.

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