Update: Funeral Services Announced for Fallen EMT

On Sunday, River Edge resident and  member  died of a possible heart attack after responding to the REVAS building on Continental Avenue.

There has already been an outpouring of support on the River Edge Volunteer Ambulance Corps Facebook page. REVAS first announced the news of Pellettere's death late Sunday night on their Facebook page.

Since then, other area EMT volunteers have posted their sympathies on the page including members from the Moonachie First Aid & Rescue Squad, the Washington Emergency Squad, Little Ferry First Aid Corps, Fairview Emergency Response Unit and the Paramus Volunteer Ambulance Corps.

"It's a terrible thing, just a couple more seconds and he might have been with the rest of the guys," borough firefighter and former councilman Tom Smith said in a phone interview. "Who knows, sometimes it's just the way things go, but it's terrible for a young man at 37."

The 37-year-old probationary member arrived at the building to head out with other REVAS members for an emergency call early Sunday morning but never made it on the ambulance.

A full crew of REVAS members had left prior to his arrival and upon returning later found Pellettere unresponsive in the driveway of the building. CPR was performed and he was transported to HUMC where he was pronounced dead. The cause of death has yet to be determined.

"There is just no way of knowing," REVAS Captain Joseph Zemaites said. "It was something internal." 

Residents who join REVAS must supply a letter from their doctor supporting their joining the squad and go through training at the Bergen County EMS Training Center in Paramus and register with the NJ State Department of Health EMS website.

According to the Bergen County EMS Training Center, potential EMTs must be able to meet the physical and mental requirements including being able to hear, read, write, communicate, and interpret instructions in the English language, be in good physical condition and be able to lift.

A wake for Pellettere will be held on Wednesday from 2-4p.m. and 7-9 p.m. at  in River Edge. 

The New Jersey State First Aid Council services will be held at 8 p.m. on Wednesday. Service members are requested to muster at 7:30p.m. 

A mass will be held at 10:30a.m. on Thursday at  in River Edge.