Using money from its American Rescue Plan Act funds, Bucks County is helping rescue the county’s struggling EMS squads.
After most municipal governments declined to dip into their federal pandemic relief funds to support their community ambulance services, Bucks commissioners recently agreed to provide $5.5 million from the county’s money. Bucks County received $122 million from the ARPA.
“We are doing what we can to help,” said the Democratic chairman of the commissioners, Bob Harvie. Last year, the county had discussed offering matching funds to municipalities to support the EMS squads, but most were not interested, Harvie said.
The money, which will be allocated over three years, will not only be used for direct support and education, but also for recruitment and retention initiatives, problems that are plaguing ambulance squads locally and nationally.
“This is going to do amazing things for emergency medical services,” said Evan Resnikoff, president of the Bucks County EMS Chiefs Association and Newtown Ambulance Squad, at the commissioner’s meeting. “It’s unprecedented support for EMS in Bucks County and we cannot be more thankful.”
Pennsylvania requires communities to provide ambulance services, either by contracting with a health care system or a local provider. In Bucks County, the vast majority of municipalities provide support through a local EMS tax. However, 21 percent do not, according to Harvie.
Thirteen of Bucks County’s 16 ambulance squads will receive money from the county’s support. The three others are hospital-based.
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