Forward Township considering EMS funding aid
Conrad Pfeifer, executive director of Quality EMS, is meeting with officials of the municipalities in the emergency medical services’ coverage region, to alert them to the funding situation many ambulance providers have found themselves in.
Pfeifer said the Forward Township supervisors have been the first to address the need for EMS funding, which they discussed at a meeting Tuesday, Aug. 8. EMS services across Pennsylvania are struggling with funding, which has led to problems of staffing and equipment that could cause worse health outcomes for people experiencing medical emergencies.
“The officials I spoke to understood our needs as EMS, and also understood the direction the industry is heading in,” Pfeifer said.
Tom Hartwig, Forward Township manager, said the supervisors got the ball rolling Tuesday on finding a way to fund the three EMS providers that serve the township; Quality, Butler Ambulance Service and Harmony EMS.
“The board unanimously moved to direct the solicitor and township manager to do some research into municipal contracts that other municipalities have in place with EMS providers,” Hartwig said. “It includes the significant task of trying to divide the township up into three portions as to how many (residents) Harmony would serve, Butler and Quality.”
The supervisors discussed the possibility of paying a “subscription fee” to each of the EMS agencies per month or per year, or making regular donations to them. The township already has a fire tax in place, but putting a percentage of millage toward the EMS agencies is another option, Hartwig said.
“We have a 1.5 mill fire tax, all those monies go to Evans City Area Volunteer Fire Department,” Hartwig said. “We give a separate modest donation to Connoquenessing Volunteer Fire Company and Callery VFD. Both also serve the township.”
Pfeifer applauded Forward Township’s administrators for addressing a funding problem that could lead to a public health emergency down the road if left unaddressed.
“We have six municipalities we cover, so that would be a giant step forward,” Pfeifer said of Forward Township providing some EMS funding. “Them being the first one to take the initial step, that is a big step for us.”
