What did it take to distribute the Vial of Life to every household in Summit? Over 80 people from The Summit Volunteer First Aid Squad, The Red Cross Youth Corps, The Summit Middle School, and Drew University. Oh, and 4 six-foot subs!

The vial is a small plastic container that holds a sheet with easy to read medical information, such as name, medical history, allergies, present medications, blood type, and an emergency contact person. In addition, the form has a place for alerting medical personnel about DNR orders or living wills and where those documents are located. The kit includes a magnet to be placed on the refrigerator where the vial is kept. When emergency responders see the magnet, they will know that the vial is on the door inside the refrigerator. This year's program was dedicated to the memory of Ian Thompson, a Summit resident and Squad member, who lost his life in the attacks on the World Trade Center.

With the Squad building as the focal point for the distribution, groups of individuals took the 'divide and conquer' approach to visiting each residence in Summit, with the vast majority of vials distributed on Sunday October 27th. Several Squad members organized the groups by streets, loaded them up with bags and bags of vials, and sent them on their way. Most groups included a volunteer Squad member and were in radio contact with the organizers at the Squad. The distribution began in the early afternoon and ended just after dark. Any deliveries not made that day were completed by Squad members over the following days.

"The support we received from each of the groups was tremendous," stated John Staunton, Squad President. "The success of the distribution can only be attributed to the volunteer effort and community spirit of those involved."

The Squad is always looking for new volunteers and provides all needed training and equipment. For information, please call 908-277-9479, or visit them on the Internet at www.summitems.org