A Centre County EMS department says they’re in serious need and may not be able to respond without the community’s help.

Folks in Port Matilda say for small rural towns, it’s hard to financially sustain departments like a fire company or EMS but that the town’s in trouble if they don’t.

In a facebook post Thursday Port Matilda EMS announced they’re in a critical situation, with only enough funds for their next payroll cycle.

That’s news lifetime native Tina Confer-Pritts doesn’t want to hear.

She says the emergency service just down the street from her is not a luxury. It’s a necessity for the community.

“It’s a need, the people in this town are only getting older, the people moving in, they seem to all have children,” Confer-Pritts, said.

She says the 20 to 30 minutes it would take for a Centre Life Link ambulance to come from State College to Port Matilda might be too late for someone having a heart attack or another emergency.

Confer-Pritts says she hopes locals donate to Port Matilda ems, as opposed to the EMS in State College.

“If everybody in Port Matilda and the surrounding areas that Port Matilda supports would give their annual membership to Port Matilda EMS, as opposed to Life Link, that might help out a lot,” Confer-Pritts, said.

Port Matilda’s EMS annual membership drive is due to start this week.

This Tuesday there will be a homemade soup sale at Port Matilda EMS at 7am.