TAMMY COAKLEY/FOR THE EXPRESS Congressman Glenn Thompson (R-Howard) announced federal funding for a new rescue jet boat and a new EMS headquarters and training facility in Centre County on Nov. 25. Pictured, from left, are Centre County Commissioner Steve Dershem, Howard Fire Company Safety Officer Collin Alterio, Thompson, Moshannon Valley EMS Chief Fredrick Ferguson and MVEMS paramedic Wes Cartwright.

TAMMY COAKLEY/FOR THE EXPRESS
Pictured is Howard Fire Company’s current 25-year-old, 16-foot, 40 hp. rescue jet boat that will be replaced with federal funding dollars secured by Congressman “GT” Thompson.

HOWARD — U.S. Congressman Glenn “GT” Thompson returned to his hometown fire station last Tuesday to bring good news of more than $2 million in federal funding to two Centre County emergency departments.

Thompson, being an emergency responder with the Howard Fire Company and having served the fire department as its president for many years, knows first hand the sacrifices that volunteers make to serve their communities. He also knows the struggles that some smaller, more rural fire departments face financially, and that’s why he announced the federal funding in the amount of $98,653 for the Howard Fire Company to purchase a new rescue jet boat.

“Our first responders are there 24/7 working for the public. We must ensure they have the best tools and training at their disposal, and today we are helping both Howard and Moshannon Valley be set up for success,” Thompson said during a press conference at the fire company last week.

Not only are the Howard Fire Company volunteers the first responders for emergencies at Sayers Lake at Bald Eagle State Park, they also have a certified swift water rescue task team that responds to other areas around the county and even beyond. The water rescue team has been on ice rescue incidents on the lake at Bald Eagle State Park, and have also been called for localized flooding incidents in both the Centre and Clinton County areas.

Using a 25-year-old, 40 horse powered rescue jet boat, Howard Fire Company has also been dispatched to water rescue and victim recovery efforts on streams in the area as well as the Susquehanna River.

Thompson was pleased to make his funding announcement on behalf of the fire company and was joined at the podium by Collin Alterio, a fellow station volunteer who has devoted countless hours to the local fire department.

Alterio, who was fire chief for more than a decade and currently serves as the department’s safety officer, is also one of Centre County’s certified Swift Water Rescue Task Force team members.

“We are incredibly grateful for this funding, which will allow us to replace our 25-year-old, under-powered rescue boat with the modern equipment our community deserves,” said Alterio. “This new vessel will greatly enhance our ability to protect our first-due area and the neighboring communities that rely on us. We sincerely thank everyone who supported this project and helped make it a reality.”

Thanks to these funds, Howard Fire Company plans to purchase an 18-foot rescue boat equipped with an inflatable side raft that will allow for easier passenger boarding that will be powered by a 300 horsepower engine, which is essential in swift waters. The new boat is capable of navigating in only three inches of water.

Alterio said plans were to visit the River Raptor Jetboats’ site in Belleville to place the order for the new boat this week, while the old 16-foot boat will remain in service for another year yet, giving the water rescue team ample time to get acquainted with the new boat and become proficient in its operation.

Centre County Commissioner Steve Dershem was at the press conference and recalled about a decade ago when flooding hit the Bald Eagle Valley, with many residents in the Milesburg area having to be evacuated from their homes in the middle of the night using boats.

The incident Dershem spoke about happened Oct. 20-21, 2016, when a torrential overnight and early morning storm dumped more than five inches of rain on the Bald Eagle Valley causing flash flooding, forcing himself and his fellow commissioners to declare a county disaster emergency. Milesburg and the Howard areas were especially hit hard by the flooding. The fire company’s annual Punkin Chunkin Festival had to be cancelled the next day because of the extremely high waters at the park.

“When you need a fast, agile boat to save lives, it’s the only thing that works. You’re not going to find any other apparatus that’s going to go out and save lives in swift water or bad situations with flooding,” Dershem said.

Dershem believes the federal funding for a new rescue jet boat is “money incredibly well spent.”

Thompson also announced that Moshannon Valley EMS will receive $2,074,716 for its new EMS headquarters and training facility. The new building is expected to be 9,350-square-feet and will be constructed near the former Philipsburg Hospital site, on land MVEMS already owns.

The new facility will also include classrooms and a large training complex for EMS, firefighters, rescue personnel, law enforcement and other public safety agencies region-wide.

The new building would also see improved accommodations for crew and staff, including sleeping quarters, a kitchen, lounge, locker rooms and a fitness center, as well as housing ambulances and emergency-related vehicles.

“Moshannon Valley Emergency Medical Services is grateful for receipt of this funding that will propel the future of emergency medical care to the entire Moshannon Valley covering Clearfield and Centre Counties,” Fredrick Ferguson, EMS chief and executive director of Moshannon Valley EMS, said. “It will create a permanent home for our public safety education facility that will serve all of Central Pennsylvania and replace our 45-year-old headquarters. We thank Congressman GT Thompson for his hard work to help us achieve this goal.”

Ferguson said MVEMS officials would be meeting with their architect soon after the funding announcement and they “hope to break ground and begin the construction process in the spring of 2026, with plans to occupy the new facility by late fall or early winter as their goal.”

MVEMS, which serves 23 municipalities in three counties — Centre, Clearfield and Clinton – will have a new state of the art training facility in the region.

“The new facility would meet a critical need and be a huge asset to the Moshannon Valley area,” said Wes Cartwright, a paramedic and former chief with MVEMS. Cartwright thanked the many agencies who have brought their vision to life with funding efforts, including Congressman Thompson, the Moshannon Valley Economic Partnership and the Centre County Commissioners, among others.

Dershem said he was extremely proud to have a fire training facility in Centre County, and anytime you receive funding to the tune of $2 dollars, “this is real money, and you can never have enough training.”

Dershem said that he and his fellow commissioners are “very pleased to welcome these funding projects to the Centre County area.”