FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 4, 2003
Contact:  Erin K. Kelly
(717) 846-2828
ekelly@pasen.gov
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Waugh and Logan Introduce Concurrent Resolution on Delivery of Fire and Emergency Services in PA

Bill would establish committee to develop legislation for improving services

HARRISBURG – Sen. Mike Waugh (R-York) and Sen. Sean Logan (D-Monroeville) introduced a concurrent resolution this week to establish a select committee within the General Assembly to develop legislation to improve the delivery of fire and emergency services in the Commonwealth.

“This year, the annual budget contains a line item for a $25 million grant program. However, enabling legislation is necessary to translate this funding from a line item in the budget to dollars and cents to our volunteers,” said Waugh.

Waugh, co-chair of the Senate Firefighters and Emergency Services Caucus in the Senate, explained that there was a “one-time” grant program in the year 2000, in which every volunteer fire company that applied received a check for about $9,900 and every volunteer ambulance service that applied received a check for approximately $6,000.

“While this program did provide some short-term relief to the volunteer services, it failed to address the long-term problems volunteers face every day,” said Waugh. Today, recruiting and retention is at an all time low.

Volunteers are responding to emergencies with inadequate protective gear and equipment or in some cases with no protective gear whatsoever. And many local companies spend a great deal of time fundraising just to make ends meet.

In order to assist these companies financially, the 23-member select committee would be charged with the duty to develop legislation to establish an institutionalized, “needs-based” grants program for volunteer fire and emergency services and to provide adequate funds in the Volunteer Loan Assistance Program. In addition, the committee would be responsible for developing legislation for a municipal firefighter education and training program and all other outstanding issues relating to the long-term problems of the fire and emergency services.

An interim report from the committee to the General Assembly would be required by May 15, 2003 and a final report would be needed by June 30, 2004.

The Senator admits that these are ambitious goals and, understandably, building consensus on legislation in a short period of time is a daunting task. But he explained that the committee would also have a working document in the September 29, 2002, PEMA Report that lays out a number of ways in which the committee could resolve many of the long-term problems that have plagued the volunteer services.

The 23-member select committee would consist of the following persons:

• The Chairmen of the Senate Committee on Emergency Preparedness and Veterans Affairs;
• The Chairmen of the House Committee on Emergency Preparedness and Veterans Affairs;
• The co-chairpersons of the Firefighter and Emergency Services Caucus in the House and Senate;
• The Pennsylvania State Fire Commissioner;
• The President of the Pennsylvania Firefighter and Emergency Services Institute, or his designee;
• The President of the Pennsylvania Emergency Health Services Council, or his designee;
• The President of the Firemen’s Association of the State of Pennsylvania, or his designee;
• The President of the Pennsylvania Fireman’s Legislative Federation, or his designee;
• The President of the Western Pennsylvania Firemen’s Association, or his designee;
• The President of the Pennsylvania Professional Firefighters Association, or his designee;
• Two fire chiefs of volunteer fire companies in Pennsylvania;
• Two fire chiefs of municipal (paid) fire companies in Pennsylvania:
• The President of the League of Cities and Municipalities, or his designee;
• The President of the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors, or his designee;
• The President of the Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs, or his designee;