Citizens Concerned for EMS

Thanks to Dr. Wang and the Pennsylvania Emergency Health Services Council (PEHSC) for their testimony yesterday to the Center for Rural Pennsylvania.

For all the issues EMS faces, there is no doubt that those facing rural EMS are much more challenging and dire.

PEHSC President, Dr. Alvin Wang, provided testimony today before the Center for Rural Pennsylvania regarding Pennsylvania’s Rural Health Transformation Plan. The testimony emphasized the critical role rural EMS agencies and providers play in sustaining access to healthcare across the Commonwealth’s underserved communities and highlighted the ongoing struggles facing the rural EMS community.

Dr. Wang highlighted the significant operational and financial challenges confronting rural EMS systems. The testimony underscored that many rural EMS agencies operate under extreme financial pressure while continuing to provide essential lifesaving services to their communities.

The testimony further emphasized that rural EMS agencies are often the first—and sometimes only—point of healthcare access for rural residents and must be recognized as essential partners in healthcare transformation efforts. Dr. Wang stressed the importance of investing in sustainable EMS funding, workforce recruitment and retention initiatives, modernization of equipment and communications infrastructure, and support for innovative community-based care models such as Mobile Integrated Health and community paramedicine programs.

PEHSC emphasized that meaningful rural healthcare transformation cannot occur without strengthening and sustaining the rural EMS system that supports it.

An article from Public Source, penned by Dwight Boddorf, who is the Municipal Manager of Tarentum, one of the three municipalities mentioned in the article. CC4EMS has been closely following the progression of this authority since the beginning and they continue to do good things!

 https://www.publicsource.org/pennsylvania-ems-funding-problems-authorities/?fbclid=IwZnRzaARQaQFleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEeh06FjpsvPxUxBPp5_Xv4ddk7dFqYUSJ19Mean7V-_Swvhlwc53bYOUxFs0Q_aem_IMupP-PIbQeo7aUiy5OI8g

Will the ambulance show up? An authority can keep the medics coming. The patchwork of billing, municipal handouts and the occasional grant can no longer sustain local EMS services. Could regional cooperation show the way?

This morning, at the Allegheny League of Municipalities Conference, during a legislative panel moderated by Jon Delano, the opening question set the tone: “What is the #1 issue you are focusing on in your district?”

Arvind Venkat responded immediately—and decisively—by highlighting the critical challenges facing EMS and the volunteer fire service.

His remarks on EMS demonstrated both a deep understanding of the system’s fragility and a clear commitment to meaningful solutions. Chief among them is Pennsylvania House Bill 1152, a bipartisan proposal that would establish a statewide EMS fee schedule and is very bipartisan. The bill is currently under consideration in the Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness Committee, with companion legislation recently introduced in the Senate.

If enacted, this legislation would represent a significant and lasting step forward for EMS agencies across the Commonwealth. It also would lessen the pressure on municipalities for direct support to EMS.

Thank you Representative Venkat for your support and highlighting this important bill to our local elected officials!

Another concerning story out of eastern Pennsylvania highlighting the fragile reality of community-based EMS.

Situations like this don’t happen overnight—and they’re rarely caused by just one issue. Strong, sustainable EMS systems depend on three critical elements working together:

1) Engaged Municipal Leadership - Municipalities must set clear expectations, stay informed, and actively support their EMS providers. When problems come as a surprise, that’s a shared failure—not just the agency’s.

2) A Professional, Active Board of Directors - Boards should represent the community, ensure accountability, and help secure the resources necessary to deliver high-quality emergency care.

3) Effective Leadership Within the Organization - EMS leaders must do more than manage operations—they must understand the business of EMS, which is not typically a required skillset in other areas of public safety, build strong relationships with all elected and appointed municipal officials and local state elected officials, support their teams, and stay deeply committed to the mission.

When even one of these pillars weakens, the entire system is at risk.

EMS is not just a service—it’s a critical part of the healthcare and public safety system that people rely on every single day.

These stories should serve as a wake-up call for all of us to ask:
Do we truly have the EMS system our community deserves?

Chal-Brit EMS warns of insolvency without $300K emergency infusion According to a confidential 2026 Emergency Funding Request obtained by the Bucks County Herald, the sole Advanced Life Support (ALS) provider for 56,000 residents in central Bucks County is on

Another positive article from TribLive about great things happening for EMS! Thanks to Tawnya Panizzi for clearly illustrating the challenges and highlighting this big win for the residents of Harrison Township in Breckenridge and Tarentum boroughs!

Newly formed Alle-Kiski Emergency Service Authority could become model for failing system Pioneer Hose Chief Rick Jones believes that a newly formed paid EMS authority in Brackenridge, Harrison and Tarentum will be a game changer. Jones, of Brackenridge, was named to the board of the Alle-Kiski Emergency Service Authority, approved Wednesday by the three municipalities. Under the agreeme...

Last night was a big deal for Citizen’s Hose and Eureka EMS — and even more importantly, for the residents and visitors of Brackenridge, Harrison Township, and Tarentum.

All three councils unanimously approved the formation of a new EMS authority.

The leadership of these EMS agencies, along with their municipal leaders, deserve real credit for this cooperative, forward-thinking accomplishment. While many continue to talk about the crisis facing EMS, these communities took action.

We are proud to say that Citizens Concerned for EMS played a small part in this approval process, thanks for asking us to assist!

This is what progress looks like.

https://triblive.com/local/valley-news-dispatch/paid-authority-prevents-inevitable-failure-of-ambulance-service-in-harrison-brackenridge-and-tarentum/

visitorsofthe.com

Thank You to Southern Alleghenies EMS Council for inviting us to present “Why Can’t I Get a Damn Raise? Understand and Advocate for Yourself!

But much more importantly, thank you for doing a high-quality two day conference, at an extremely reasonable price, focused on EMS leadership! It is one of the most significant issues we must address in EMS.

Next years conference is already scheduled and in an even need larger venue to facilitate more current and future EMS Leaders.

This is an OUTSTANDING editorial in today's Trib!

The writer gets it and paints a concise, vivid picture of the challenges, potential pitfalls, and the incredible importance of high-quality EMS.

Well Done, TribLive, well done indeed!

Editorial: The cost and value of regional EMS It takes time to move from an idea to implementation. It also takes discipline to recognize when the time for that shift has arrived. Two years ago, the conversation about the future of emergency medical services in the Alle-Kiski Valley was still largely theoretical. Communities were talking about....

NEXT WEEK - January 15th, is the Seventh Annual Widener University Commonwealth Law School Emergency Medical Services Law and Policy Symposium. This year's topic is Legal Pathways to EMS System Sustainability. This free symposium is always a wealth of great information, and this year's topic is especially poignant.

More information and register here:

Legal Pathways to EMS System Sustainability The Seventh Annual Widener University Commonwealth Law School Emergency Medical Services Law and Policy Symposium Overview The...

More news of moving positively forward for the Alle-Kiski Emergency Services Authority!

Website aims to boost community involvement in plans for paid EMS authority Officials trying to start a regional, paid EMS service are hoping a new website explaining the plans will bolster public involvement in the creation of the service. The authority will cover Brackenridge, Harrison and Tarentum and aims to continue 24/7 ambulance service by merging Eureka Community Am...