Fire companies and emergency medical services (EMS) providers across our Commonwealth face a myriad of challenges that threaten their ability to operate and provide life-saving services, including record low volunteerism and skyrocketing costs of critical equipment. While a number of departments have been forced to close their doors, some communities have found success in regionalizing their approach to providing fire and EMS services, allowing them to share resources and personnel across multiple municipalities.  

 

In order to give every community the opportunity to succeed, I will be introducing a package of legislation to allow each municipality to tailor these services to their own local needs. My legislation will allow municipalities to decide how fire suppression and EMS will be provided, whether that be through joining a regional authority, maintaining operation of existing local companies, or deferring to the county for the provision of these services. Ultimately, my bill takes the pressure off local municipalities and gives counties the responsibility to ensure that fire suppression and EMS are provided to all the residents and businesses located there. 

 

It is our responsibility to support fire and EMS companies in every way possible so they can continue carrying out their noble work without worrying whether they’ll have the personnel and funding to keep going. Please join me in introducing this bill package to keep our emergency response organizations up and running.