A bill that will provide $25 million in funding to Pennsylvania’s emergency medical services providers passed unanimously in the state Senate on Tuesday.

According to a news release from bill co-sponsor state Sen. Joe Pittman, R-41st, Senate Bill 739 adds to the recent push to distribute $225 million in federal relief funds for hospital and behavioral health providers.

EMS companies would receive the funds through the Office of the State Fire Commissioner. The bill would also ensure that volunteer, paid and combination fire departments are eligible for low-interest loans through the Fire and Emergency medical Services Loan Program.

“This builds on our continuing efforts to support all those who give so much to our communities every day,” Pittman said. “Many of our fire and EMS companies struggled financially before the pandemic, and the last two years have not lessened their problems.”

Lou Zimmerman, chief of the Connoquenessing Volunteer Fire Company, said with every grant comes stipulations about how funds can be used.

“There’s always talk of trying to get more funding in fire departments and a lot of it fell through for many years,” he said. “You don’t want to put the impression out there that they’re ungrateful for it ... We apply for the all the grants we can, I’m sure we’d apply for this one.”

Jay Grinnell, president of Harmony EMS, said it initially made him feel good to hear there may be financial aid coming for service providers.

“EMS is in serious trouble, some are living on the (brink) of bankruptcy,” he said. “We can’t get providers.”

Having already passed the state House, the bill will now head to Gov. Tom Wolf’s desk.