First responders in Pennsylvania are in crisis. That’s the message of a report released today.
A commission of fire and EMS organizations, as well as state lawmakers, released a report with 27 recommendations to improve fire and EMS in the state.
That includes adding incentives to help recruit first responders, expanding the office of the state fire commissioner, and providing state funding for basic fire and EMS training.
Senator Randy Vulakovich, the Chairman of the Senate Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness Committee, says “While individually, these recommendations won’t solve all of the problems, together they can help preserve these two groups of first responders, that are there when we are at our most vulnerable.”
Back in the 1970’s, there were 300,000 volunteer firefighters in Pennsylvania. Today, that number is just 38,000.