SPRINGFIELD, NJ — Gloria Simpson was a 60-year member of the Springfield First Aid Squad. She served as president, lieutenant and secretary of the squad. She also served on the Emergency Medical Services Council of New Jersey as the Second District vice-president. Members of the Squad knew her affectionately as “Glo.”
Simpson died last year at the age of 96. She was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award from the EMS Council of New Jersey, the Overlook Medical Center’s Excellence in EMS Award and the Springfield Chamber of Commerce EMS Award. Simpson’s daughter, Liz Fritzen, is president of the Springfield First Aid Squad and has been serving there for the past 50 years.
On Sunday, Sept. 8, North Trivett Avenue was given the honorary name Gloria Simpson Way in Simpson’s honor, although it will still keep its original name for all official and legal purposes. More than 100 people gathered for the event. It was a beautiful summer day.
Mayor Chris Weber began the ceremony. He spoke about how Simpson and her daughter, Fritzen, combined, served the First Aid Squad 110 years. “You don’t get that amount of consistency with anything,” he said.
Continuing, he spoke about how Samantha Yusupov, volunteer emergency medical technician, spearheaded the idea of having a street dedicated to Simpson.
“She was very persistent,” he said. “Not a lot of things come our way that are easy decisions. We talked to our other committee members; it became a no-brainer. Goria saved countless lives as an EMS (technician). The passing of Gloria Simpson was a great loss to Springfield.”
Yusupov said, “I thought it would be really cool to dedicate North Trivett to Glo. It is a wonderful thing to do.”
When Fritzen came to the podium to speak, she was choked up. “I’d love to get through this without crying,” she said. “The amount of people here today, it’s unbelievable. I wonder what my mother’s thinking right now. The sun is certainly shining for Glo right now. This is such a special tribute to Glo.”
Fritzen thanked Yusupov for secretly launching the idea with a few squad members.
Continuing, she said, “Most of my mother’s adult life was as a volunteer, helping total strangers in their time of need. She was a true trailblazer in, as we call it, ‘street or field medicine.’ She answered emergency calls with skill and the training she learned initially as certified by the American Red Cross. There was no CPR. It hadn’t been perfected yet. And there were no medics, you were out on your own. She became five points certified, then eight points certified, and then an EMT. After five years on the squad, she recruited my dad.”
Growing up with both parents on the squad, Fritzen knew she wanted to be a part of it, too.
In conclusion, Fritzen said, “To the Springfield Police Department, the Springfield Fire Department and the Springfield Police Auxiliary, Glo knew every one of you. And you all knew her. You all responded to calls with her and that is a bond she cherished. To the Springfield First Aid Squad, thank you for loving my mother and keeping her memory alive. We can talk about our Glo stories and our Glo sayings. She would love that. She loved the squad and considered it family – always. On behalf of my family, I thank you all for coming and for being a part of today. When I found out about the street dedication, I was shocked and I cried. You know she’s looking down on us.”
Visit the Springfield First Aid Squad at: https://www.springfieldfas.org/.
Photos by Maryanne Christiano-Mistretta