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Chairmen Announce New Effort to Assist PA’s First Responders
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By PA Senate Republicans - http://www.pasenategop.com/
January 24, 2017

As the Pennsylvania General Assembly kicked off the 2017-18 Legislative Session on Monday (January 23), the leaders of the Senate Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness Committee and House Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness Committee announced a renewed effort to assist Pennsylvania’s first responders.

A comprehensive review of a previous effort to help Pennsylvania’s first responders and the unveiling of a new legislative package of bills to assist fire departments and EMS organizations was the focus of a press conference co-hosted by Senator Randy Vulakovich, Chairman of the Senate Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness Committee, Senator Jay Costa, Democratic Chairman of the Senate Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness Committee, Representative Steve Barrar, Chairman of the House Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness Committee, and Representative Chris Sainato, Democratic Chairman of the House Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness Committee.

The four chairmen were joined by first responders from across the state to announce a proposed “reboot” of Senate Resolution 60 of 2003 – a comprehensive study of Fire & EMS issues completed in 2004 – and to discuss a 16-bill package of legislation to complement and build on previous efforts to help Pennsylvania’s first responders address key issues such as recruitment and retention.

Finding and keeping personnel is a key issue facing many departments as the ranks of volunteers in Pennsylvania have dwindled from about 300,000 in the 1970s to around 50,000 today.

Facing similar concerns a decade ago, the General Assembly approved Senate Resolution 60, a concurrent resolution that created a bi-partisan commission to study emergency services across the Commonwealth.

The 25-member commission released a report that focused on specific concerns such as recruitment and delivery of services, issues that seemed to be most common among fire departments and ambulance corps across the state. Through that focus, the Commission developed a set of recommendations that were intended to provide needed assistance to Pennsylvania’s emergency service providers.

“And now 13 years later, I feel the timing is right to “reboot” this effort – to review the 23 recommendations – to see what was or was not done on each of them – whether they worked – and what the next steps we should take in order to preserve and grow our fire and EMS systems for the future of our Commonwealth,” said Sen. Vulakovich. “I am proud to be part of this bipartisan effort and look forward to working together as we begin the process of advancing the important legislation we are unveiling today.”

“Each and every day, in all corners of Pennsylvania, men and women answer emergency calls and save lives,” said Sen. Costa. “Pennsylvania policymakers need to do all we can to support volunteer and professional firefighters and EMS personnel. It is good public policy and makes fiscal sense. The work of the commission is important because it will provide a roadmap that legislators can use to develop far-reaching and effective public policy that will impact future generations.”

“With the help of the commission, we will be working to address issues that currently threaten the sustainability of both fire and emergency medical services,” said Rep. Barrar. “The bills we discussed today are just a few of the ideas we had as a result of many conversations with stakeholders in the first responder community, and I am eager to develop more ways to help these men and women, as they continue to provide valuable services to all of Pennsylvania.”

“As we continue to re-evaluate the status of SR 60 recommendations, I am eager to move forward and focus on those ideas we have already begun to develop as a result of those recommendations, said Rep. Sainato. “We must be resolute in our efforts to provide recruitment and retention, as well as other incentives for emergency responders throughout the commonwealth. We cannot afford to do otherwise.”

The Fire and EMS support measures unveiled by the Chairmen include bills to promote recruitment and retention, such as offering online training to make the process more convenient, providing loan forgiveness to attract volunteers, and developing a pilot program to offer firefighter training in secondary schools. Other measures would provide tax credits to businesses that excuse their employees when they need to respond to emergencies or undergo training and provide new billing options for fire departments and EMS organizations.

The following is a brief synopsis of the measures included in the Firefighter/EMS support package.

Measures to support our firefighters

School District/Community College Training Partnerships: Several community colleges are partnering with local schools to offer courses for those students who would like to become first responders. We plan to replicate these partnerships through a pilot program.

College Loan Forgiveness for First Responders: In the 1970's, Pennsylvania had 300,000 volunteer fire fighters. Unfortunately, our most recent estimate totals a mere 50,000. Like the nursing shortage in the 1990's, we believe that providing college loan forgiveness to volunteer first responders will help attract and maintain more individuals to this calling.

Full-Time Equivalency - Community College Training Funding: Restoration of dedicated state funding for training for Fire and EMS personnel.

Online Training: First responders go through an inordinate amount of training. Directing the State Fire Commissioner to establish online training for non-hands-on training will save fire companies and first responders a great deal of time and money.
Employer Tax Credits for Firefighters: Encourages employers, through tax credits, to permit employees who are active volunteers to leave work, with pay, in response to an emergency or to participate in training.

CPAs and Fire Companies: Establishes a four-year continuing professional education pilot program that provides credits to certified public accountants who assist volunteer fire companies with their financial records.

PTSD Training: In an effort to curb the growing problem of suicide within the first responder community, we are creating an Emergency Workers Mental Health Commission. Additionally, we would like to combat the effects of PTSD in our first responders, directly at the source through counseling and require post-traumatic stress disorder training for all first responders.
Fire Company Billing: Authorizes volunteer fire companies to bill for "actual and reasonable costs," which does not include manpower. This would allow fire companies to recoup the costs for responding to emergencies.

Use of Fire Relief Funding: Expands the allowable uses of relief monies for mini-retirement programs, known as Length of Service Award Programs (LOSAP).

Fire Relief Fund Administration: Would empower the State Fire Commissioner to oversee Fire Relief Fund administration, a duty currently held by the Auditor General. The Auditor General was charged with this duty prior to the creation of the State Fire Commissioner.

Review of the Statewide Insurance Fund: Since the enactment of the Cancer Presumption Law, the Statewide Insurance Fund has become the de facto insurer of municipalities/fire companies and the complaints have been numerous. Hearings to explore this issue will be held.

Volunteer Loan Assistance Program (VLAP): It is our intent to open up this program to career fire companies (two-percent low interest loans for buildings, apparatus and equipment).

Measures to support EMS organizations

Treat, no Transport: Require insurance companies to reimburse EMS agencies for services provided, even if transport to a hospital does not take place. Currently, if an EMS company does not transport, it does not receive any reimbursement for any services provided.

MA Reimbursement: Medical Assistance reimbursements are well below the cost to provide EMS and many commercial insurers reimburse at the Medicare level or slightly above. MA reimbursement is below Medicare rates as well. Payment policies should be changed to reflect the evolving and beneficial nature of EMS.

EMSOF Fine Increases: Increase the $10 and $25 fines that support the Emergency Medical Services Operating Fund. There has been no uniform increase in either fine since 1985, yet this revenue provides 30 percent of the money utilized for the training of EMTs and paramedics in rural regions that are identified as underserved and struggling areas.

Realign the $30 million Fire/EMS Grant Program: Under the $30 million Fire and EMS Grant Program, EMS organizations receive 12 percent and fire companies receive 88 percent of the funding. Should additional funding be secured, more parity will be sought for EMS.

Contacts:

Nate Silcox (717) 787-6538 or nsilcox@pasen.gov (Senator Vulakovich)
Stacy Witalec (717) 787-7683 or switalec@pasenate.com (Senator Costa)
Alison Evans (717) 260-6206 or Aevans@pahousegop.com (Representative Barrar)
Amy Brinton (717) 772-2436 or abrinton@pahouse.net (Representative Sainato)

Hyperlinks: PA Senate Article
SR 6 Text
 

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