Commissioner leads task force on EMS crisis
A Butler County commissioner will lead a task force to confront the crisis in the emergency medical services field across the state.
Kevin Boozel will lead the state EMS Task Force, which was formed by the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania. Boozel is the president of that association for 2020.
The reasons for the crisis are many, Boozel said.
They include low wages for emergency medical technicians and paramedics, changes in training requirements, legislation that limits EMS organizations, no separation between transport calls and emergencies, and other issues.
Boozel, who requested and received another year's time for the task force to study the problem and enact possible solutions, said two state senators sat down with him and asked what is needed from the legislature.
Boozel also planned to visit U.S. Sens. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., and Bob Casey, D-Pa., in Washington, D.C., this week to discuss the EMS crisis.
In the meantime, the task force has produced a report on the state of emergency medical services in Pennsylvania, and is asking EMS providers and others to provide input.
Boozel's goal in the task force is to create a “toolbox” of potential solutions EMS providers could use to alleviate their challenges.Recruitment ideas, employee retention, free education at community and junior colleges, legislation that allows municipalities to increase EMS millage past the current 0.5 mill, and how municipalities and the county can help are some ways EMS providers could improve their situations and, in turn, response times and care.But Boozel wants to avoid state policies mandating the actions of EMS providers.“Local municipal control is always going to be intact,” he said.
One issue heavily covered in the report issued in February by the EMS Task Force is recruiting paramedics and EMTs.Since 2016, the county Emergency Services department has amassed a list of county businesses that offer discounts to EMS and firefighting volunteers.Known as the Recognition of Excellence in our Volunteers, or REV, many restaurants, fitness centers, and even a car dealer that offers employee pricing have signed up to give special offers to volunteer firefighters and EMS personnel.Amy Marree, emergency management planner for the county emergency services department, said about 10 businesses initially signed up for the program.Today, about 25 participate in the REV program.“It speaks volumes about businesses showing appreciation for volunteers to run our EMS services, fire services and emergency management services,” Marree said.Boozel said the EMS Task Force will work with CCAP, the state Department of Community and Economic Development, the state Association of Boroughs, the state Association of Township Supervisors, the regional EMS council, legislators and others to come up with recommendations to improve the situation for emergency medical services in Butler County and throughout the state.“This is a collaborative,” Boozel said. “We have to bring them to the table.”
