LONGPORT – The Board of Commissioners March 19 passed a resolution approving a new policy that allows the Longport Free Public Library to implement the Longport Cares program, which will provide senior citizens with friendly telephone calls to ensure they are safe.
The program will provide wellness checks for seniors who sign up for the program. Residents over 55 years of age who live alone or have medical conditions that could be incapacitating are encouraged to register for the program.
Library volunteer and former City Clerk Amy Strawder first suggested the program on Feb. 19 but it was it was held over for further discussion with Police Chief Frank Culmone.
“State law is clear that the police chief has the final say in how police resources are utilized,” Solicitor Michael Affanato said.
Strawder, who started her career in Longport as a police dispatcher, said the “Lifeline” program was first implemented in the early 1990s and was successful.
“It lasted a few years with three or four people on the list,” she said. “It seemed the residents liked it as a security blanket.”
Strawder said that over the years the program was in service, the police were called in a few instances to check on the safety of a few residents.
“During those years there were three or four incidents, and two or three of them had to have medical services because they were in trouble,” Strawder said.
She encouraged the commissioners to allow the program to be implemented again, especially since the borough has a somewhat aging population during the winter months.
Here’s how the program works:
• The resident calls the library before 10 a.m. daily to indicate they are having a good day. If the resident fails to call, the library will call the resident to determine if they are ill or simply forgot to call.
• If there is no response, the library will call the emergency contact person provided by the resident to obtain further information about the resident’s whereabouts or condition.
• If there is no response or the emergency contact is unaware of the resident's status, a member of the Longport Police Department will be called to do a welfare check on the resident to ensure they are safe.
Anyone interested in participating in the program is encouraged to fill out an application at the library, which is located at Borough Hall, 2304 Atlantic Ave.
More information on the program is available by calling the library at 609-487-7403.
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