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Penns Valley EMS in crisis; please come to Oct. 26 meeting

DAVID BRAUCHT

Coburn

Having adequate funding is an issue that almost all emergency medical services (EMS) organizations across the state are wrestling with.

The issue the townships of Penns Valley are considering is a request by our EMS to enact a .5 of a mill tax for EMS services.

No townships in Centre County presently has enact an EMS tax.

Getting consensus among all five townships — Gregg, Penn, Miles, Potter and Haines — is one of the major hurdles because the limit set by law is a half-mill tax.

The revenue generated would just meet the financial need of our EMS.

Townships are required by law to provide EMS services and Penns Valley has been blesses with a great organization that because of Volunteers and Donations was positioned to be financially strong for a long time.

Resources have changed and some have disappeared all together. All municipalities will be wrestling with this and should be made aware of coming crisis.

As a township supervisor, I can report that a majority of the citizens of our district are not aware of the problem and that the clock has nearly run out to fix this problem.

Unless there is a public awareness raised the only answer is for property taxes to used to fund EMS.

There is no other legislative option presently. There are things that can be done, but public awareness and influence needs to be generated. Please consider this as a story worthy of covering.

The media and, of course, all taxpayers and residents are invited to join the EMS and our five townships as they consider how to fund our ambulance services.

Penns Valley has enjoyed ambulance services funded in the past by many volunteers, donors, and fees for services.

Today, volunteers are few, and fees for services no longer cover the full costs.

A once financially strong organization is now in a critical funding situation.

Most EMS organizations across the state are facing the same funding crisis.

Our five municipalities are mandated to provide emergency medical services for Penns Valley.

A very important meeting has been scheduled for Oct. 26 to consider how that will be done.

Folks, without funding changes, our EMS could cease to exist if there aren’t changes.

EMS services will be provided to Penns Valley, but the questions are: Who will provide it, at what cost, and from what distance?

Please consider attending the meeting set for 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 26, in the Penns Valley EMS Building, 106 Ross Hill Road, Spring Mills.

(Dave Braucht is a Penn Township supervisor and a Penns Valley EMS board member. He can be reached at 814-349-5685, or by email at coburn36@yahoo.com.)

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