Westfield Rescue Squad Prez Steps Down After Coronavirus Posts

WESTFIELD, NJ — The president of the Westfield Volunteer Rescue Squad has stepped down from his position after residents criticized his recent Facebook posts downplaying the coronavirus pandemic and its precautions. A different rescue squad officer published a letter Friday night stating Rescue Squad President David Sloan had stepped down amid the controversy.

"I would like to inform the public that the president of the Westfield Rescue Squad has stepped down from his position," wrote the squad's chief, Sergio Guzman, in a letter to TAPInto Westfield. "We would like to reassure the public that our organization does not share the views of this individual. We remain an apolitical organization."

Guzman added, "On a personal note, my own mother was hospitalized for three months due to complications from covid-19, so I personally know the gravity of this pandemic. Our organization does not stand behind comments downplaying the severity of this pandemic."

In social media posts in August and September, Sloan twice shared a since-debunked claim that only 6 percent of the people whom the CDC announced as coronavirus-related fatalities had actually died as a result of the virus. Sloan also wrote posts calling the pandemic a “hoax," saying, “There is no pandemic" and sharing a meme that people wear masks for "theatre."

The false 6 percent statistic spread like wildfire around social media in September, including among certain political officials, but doctors explained that some of the other conditions people had when they died were also caused by the virus, such as pneumonia or respiratory failure. The same can occur with flu statistics.

Officials have said that spreading false news about coronavirus is dangerous, as it may discourage people from taking precautions that could protect others. In addition, medical workers must fight misinformation while they fight the virus.

Earlier this year, nurses who volunteered in New York during the height of the pandemic told the New York Times that when they returned to their home states, friends said the virus was a hoax because it hadn't been as bad there yet. Their home states got hit harder later on.

Controversial comments

The controversy over Sloan's remarks began after he spoke with local news outlet TAPInto, in a story published Sept. 3, about a small march he'd held in Westfield regarding child trafficking. While most residents said trafficking is a serious issue, they questioned whether the issue is being used to cast aspersions on various groups (particularly in the November elections).

Residents who reacted to the September story seemed most seemed concerned about Sloan's comments that child traffickers drink the blood of their victims and "scare the victims to the point of right before they kill them. So, the blood is adrenalized because they're in a fear-based state." Residents linked the comments to an anti-Semitic theory, also noted by the Anti-Defamation League, that Jews drink the blood of children, a theory known as “blood libel.” Sloan also made comments related to QAnon, a movement that the Anti-Defamation League says espouses "blood libel" as well.

Sloan said in an interview with Patch, published Wednesday, that he doesn't link trafficking to any one religion. Regarding the 6 percent claim, he said he didn't know it had been debunked, but that he's spent more than 10 years questioning government narratives and other institutions in order to get the truth.

Will continue to serve

Last week, Westfield Mayor Shelley Brindle said, "The Westfield Rescue Squad consists of dedicated volunteers who work tirelessly to assist our residents in need, with a long history of service to the community. Although the town has no oversight of the Rescue Squad in their capacity as a non-profit, volunteer organization, I share the concern of residents who stand on the side of science and condemn QAnon's conspiracy theories."

Guzman said that Sloan will continue serve as a member of the squad, where he has volunteered many hours and served in various roles.

"Despite recent events," Guzman wrote on Friday, "we would like to thank this individual for the thousands of hours of selfless volunteerism to the town of Westfield. Our values of volunteerism remain as strong today as they have been in the 68 years since our foundation. ... We have taken extraordinary safety precautions to try to limit exposure to the virus and provide a safe environment into which we take our patients."

But, he wrote, "Several residents have contacted our organization voicing their concerns about these recent events in the media. They have expressed their fear of being in our care and have stated they do not intend to donate to the rescue squad any longer. We are saddened by this, but we respect their decisions. We will continue to uphold our mission to provide the best care possible."

Guzman also made a comment that calls into question the future of the squad as a privately funded organization.

"The structure of the Westfield Rescue Squad may change in the coming months. Due to attrition of members as a result of COVID-19 and a potential lack of funding," he wrote, "we will be taking steps to ensure that the highest quality medical care possible will continue to be provided to the residents of Westfield. Your safety is our primary concern."

Sloan wrote on Facebook at the end of last week, "Many have condemned me for my views surrounding human trafficking and the Plandemic, which unfortunately were misrepresented or lacked context by journalists from two different local online publications, TAPintoWestfield and Westfield Patch ... While I have no regrets trying to aid or promote public discourse around these topics (though the added stress has not been fun), it has ostensibly compromised my leadership position at the local EMS organization I've spent 7 years and 20+ hours per work volunteering my free time."

He added, "There has been significant backlash from my emphasized & widely shared views, but there has also been encouraging support. I am content with the experience in that I've remained true to my beliefs/convictions in the face of severe and unfair criticism. I believe my beliefs are based on actual facts and empirical evidence instead of propaganda and obvious deception."

One official who had expressed concerned with the controversy was local US Rep. Thomas Malinowski, D-Union, who held a Zoom call on Sept. 18 with more than 200 area residents regarding QAnon and conspiracy theories. He mentioned the rescue squad controversy in his invitation to residents.

Malinowski said last week that while it makes sense to question all sources, automatically discrediting every scientist or scientific consensus can lead to ignoring public health recommendations. At worst, he said, conspiracy theories can lead to violence.

Sloan said he sees good and bad in QAnon, as with any group. He theorized that the movement is led by an intelligence official, but also posted that some believe the anonymous leader is John F. Kennedy Jr.

Malinowski said he believes the architects of the movement are the owners of social media sites that can earn money by drawing traffic with conspiracy theories.

The coronavirus death toll topped 202,000 last week, with New Jersey's death toll topping 14,300. At the peak of the virus in New Jersey on April 30, 460 people passed away in one day. The daily death toll is now in the single digits.

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This article originally appeared on the Westfield Patch