FundtheFirst Campaign

Fourth Generation Emergency Medical First Responder Permanently Disabled 

As a teenager, Sandra Talmadge, now 34, became a rookie in the family business, emergency first responder. Since her great-grandfather became a firefighter-first aider some 80 years ago, family members have been police and fire chiefs as well as EMS and rescue officers. Her father, a past volunteer EMS chief and career public safety captain, died in the line-of-duty treating an injured person at a motor vehicle accident in 2016.

In November 2019, after 15 years of volunteer service with the Rockaway Neck First Aid Squad in Parsippany, NJ, Sandra sustained a line-of-duty injury during a patient lifting and moving evolution. The very painful injury was subsequently diagnosed as a seriously torn labrum and she underwent surgery in March 2020. Intense physical therapy followed but her ability to lift anything without sharp pain with her left arm was determined to be permanent. She lost her job, had to take part time work and took a life membership with the first aid squad. 

Pursuant to proceedings in September, the Workman’s Compensation Court found that she was entitled to substantial permanent disability payments in an amount still to be determined. That may take several months. Meanwhile, Sandra and her immediate family, volunteer firefighter husband Chuck and two sons, are trying to survive inflation while wearing out family benefactors. 

Sandra has a new clerical position but she needs reliable transportation as public buses and trains are not available to and from work some 30 miles away. Needless to say, their family credit leaves a lot to be desired and used cars are very costly. Sandra’s six and eight year old boys, the fifth generation of first responders, have costly needs.

This campaign is under the guidance of Police Chief (retired) Eskil S. “Skip” Danielson, a 60 year fire/police/EMS cross trained first responder - part of the second generation of Danielson first responders. He is Sandra’s grandfather and campaign manager.