Bill Package to Aid Volunteer Fire, EMS Providers, Protect Public, Says Barrar
HARRISBURG — Flanked by firefighters and emergency medical services (EMS) providers, Rep. Stephen Barrar (R-Chester/Delaware) held a Fire Prevention Month event today at the state Capitol at which he called attention to the dramatic decline in the number of volunteer firefighters and EMS providers in Pennsylvania and disclosed actions planned in the House this week and next to address it.
“What if you had a fire, accident or life-threatening emergency, and when you dialed 911, no one answered,” asked Barrar, chairman of the House Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness (VAEP) Committee. “We are witnessing an alarming trend — a sharp and steady decline in the number of people volunteering to serve as firefighters and EMS providers.”
Of Pennsylvania’s 2,462 fire companies, more than 90% are staffed by volunteers. In the 1970s, there were about 300,000 volunteer firefighters in Pennsylvania, but today, there are fewer than 38,000. Barrar warns that if this trend continues, emergency calls could go unanswered.
Barrar served as co-chairman of the bipartisan, bicameral SR6 Commission, which two years ago set out to examine the decline in volunteer first responders. He said many of them expressed concern that the findings of the commission would be shelved and forgotten, but more than 20 bills, based on the commission’s recommendations, are now before the House and voting will begin later today.
“We are acting now to avert a crisis in the delivery of volunteer fire and EMS services in Pennsylvania,” said Barrar. “This legislation would address the well-being of our emergency personnel and provide incentives to help recruit and retain volunteer and career first responders.”
Noting that emergency personnel routinely encounter high stress and often tragic situations, Barrar said many more die from suicide than in the line of duty. He is sponsoring
House Bill 432, which defines post-traumatic stress injury and enables first responders who are suffering from post-traumatic stress to receive the mental health benefits they need. Another bill in the package would create a peer-to-peer mental wellness and stress management program for first responders.
Several bills in this package would establish incentives to attract volunteers, such as tuition assistance and college loan forgiveness programs, property tax credits, cash incentives for length of service and online training for firefighters.
Because many fire companies and EMS services are strapped financially, their inability to purchase and maintain modern equipment could impede their ability to properly treat individuals in need. The legislative package advancing in the House would make it easier for municipal/career fire companies and volunteer fire and EMS services to access loans, and would permit volunteer fire and EMS companies to hold onto grant awards for up to five years, enabling them to save for large projects and expensive equipment.
Finally, it would increase surcharges on certain violations to enhance the EMS Operating Fund; authorize volunteer fire departments to recoup costs for material and equipment used in emergency responses and require insurance carriers to directly reimburse 911-dispatched ambulances to ensure they receive payments due.
“Our communities rely heavily on these volunteers and count on them to be there when needed,” said Barrar. “We must act now to stop the decline in volunteer service providers to ensure someone is there to answer our call. I am pleased the House will begin taking up these bills, starting today.”
The following are bills that have been introduced thus far stemming from recommendations of the SR6 Commission.
House Bill 432 – would define post-traumatic stress injury and provide related mental health benefits for first responders who need it.
House Bill 759 – would authorize volunteer fire departments to bill for real and reasonable costs.
House Bill 1347 – would require insurance carriers to directly reimburse ambulance companies not in their network.
House Bill 269 – would provide an exemption from the Realty Transfer Tax (RTT) for the transfer of real estate from the surviving spouse or minor child of a first responder, within five years of the first responder’s death.
House Bill 732 – would provide an exemption from the RTT for the transfer of real estate to or by a volunteer EMS company, volunteer fire company, or volunteer rescue company.
House Bill 1448 – would transform the Volunteer Loan Assistance Program (VLAP) into an Emergency Responder Loan Assistance Program. Volunteer, career, and combination agencies that provide fire, ambulance, or rescue squad services would have access to low-interest loans that will help these agencies purchase, modernize, repair and refurbish facilities, equipment, and reporting software, as well as to refinance debt.
House Bill 1459 – would create the Emergency Responder Mental Wellness and Stress Management Program for first responders, including 911 dispatchers and coroners. Funding would come from increasing the fine for traffic violations from $10 to $20 and Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition (ARD) fines from $25 to $50 – the first increases in more than 20 years.
House Bill 1673 – would allow volunteer fire relief money to be used for retention of existing volunteer members and provide incentives for recruiting new volunteer firefighters. One example is the Length of Service Award Program (LOSAP), a system established to provide tax-deferred income benefits to active volunteer members of a fire service. Another is for the assistance and protection of volunteer firefighters in order to provide necessary training and life-preserving safeguards.
House Bill 1705 – would give school districts the option of enacting a tax credit against the property tax liability of active volunteers of a fire or EMS company.
House Bill 1758 – would add volunteer fire and EMS companies to the list of entities that automatically receive municipal police accident reports, thereby exempting them from the $22 fee per copy.
House Bill 1773 – would create the Tuition Assistance for Active Volunteers Program for first responders. An active member of a volunteer fire company or EMS agency who attends an approved institution of higher learning will be eligible to receive tuition assistance. The program is modeled after the PA National Guard education assistance program.
House Bill 1780 – would exempt volunteer fire, rescue and ambulance companies from the Right-to-Know Law (RTK) as responding to RTK requests consumes valuable time and resources.
House Bill 1786 – would create the First Responder Loan Forgiveness Program for indebted college graduates who are active members of an emergency medical services agency, volunteer fire company, or volunteer rescue company. Up to $16,000 of the graduate’s loans would be forgiven after four years of service.
House Bill 1816 – would increase by 10% the maximum loan limits available to volunteer fire companies and emergency medical services through the Volunteer Loan Assistance Program (VLAP).
House Bill 1819 – would reform the Office of the State Fire Commissioner by creating a State Fire Commission while consolidating and expanding the duties under the Office’s authority.
House Bill 1834 – would re-authorize the Fire and EMS Grant Program and expand eligible uses to include recruitment and retention. This money could be put toward efforts such as a volunteer firefighter length of service award and programs to attract junior firefighters to the volunteer ranks. The bill would allow fire companies to bank for up to five years grant money to be used for purchases or construction of a new facility.
House Bill 1838 – would increase the funding available through the Emergency Medical Services Operating Fund (EMSOF) for our EMS delivery system by increasing surcharges assessed on moving violations and DUI convictions.
House Bill 1839 – would give counties the option of providing a property tax credit to qualified active volunteers to be applied against an active volunteer’s property tax liability.
House Bill 1869 – would grant staffing waivers on a case-by-case basis for Basic Life Support (BLS) ambulances in 6th through 8th class counties. Current law requires that a BLS ambulance be staffed at a minimum with at least one individual who is certified as an emergency medical responder or higher and one who is licensed as an EMT.
Senate Bill 146 – would make online training more readily available to current and prospective first responders.
Representative Stephen E. Barrar
160th District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Donna Pinkham
717.260.6452
dpinkham@pahousegop.com
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