Ramapo College EMS asks Old Tappan to consider donating retired ambulance to reinstate transport training

Evan Cuts, Ramapo College fire marshal and EMS coordinator, asked Old Tappan to consider donating a retired borough ambulance to the college's EMS program so the campus can operate a transport‑capable unit and regain eligibility for the New Jersey EMT training fund. Cuts said access to the training fund would make EMT schooling and continuing education more available to students and help create a pipeline of trained responders for both the college and the town.

Council members raised legal and procurement concerns about transferring town property bought with taxpayer dollars, asking whether donations must go to public auction or be handled through the borough's standard surplus process; the council requested that its attorney review whether a direct donation, a lease for a nominal fee, or a transfer via the college foundation is permissible. Cuts proposed that a scholarship administered by the Ramapo College Foundation be established and front‑loaded so that annual awards could be guaranteed while the student fund builds through fundraising.

No formal motion was made. Council members asked staff to determine the vehicle's current value, to review past dispositions of similar equipment, and to consult the borough attorney on liability and procurement rules. Several members expressed support in principle for the partnership and the scholarship idea, contingent on legal clearance and a clear plan for insurance and operational responsibility.