Dear friend,

The last two years of the coronavirus public health crisis exposed the faults in our state’s Emergency Medical Service systems that had been long overlooked. For years, our health care workers have been struggling with an increasing lack of personnel and limited funding.

That’s why I’m proud to announce that in February, the Pennsylvania Senate unanimously voted to send a bill for the $25 million EMS COVID-19 Recovery Grant Program to Governor Wolf’s desk, which has since been signed into law.

This is a HUGE bipartisan win that will allocate funding from the federal American Rescue Plan Act toward new equipment, debt reduction, training, and personnel recruitment and retention to nearly 800 EMS agencies across the state.

As a member of the Senate Veterans and Emergency Preparedness Committee, I’ve witnessed firsthand how our community EMS agencies have fought to stay afloat while competing with larger players in the EMS field. This historic funding will throw a lifeline to struggling agencies across the Commonwealth so our health care workforce can continue protecting our communities.

Our EMS agencies have been true front line heroes not just during the pandemic, but each and every day. I’m honored to have helped lead the charge establishing this grant funding, but there is still so much that can be done to help these critical agencies recover.

Will you help sustain my work for our frontline workers?

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These skilled health care professionals have stepped up when our communities have needed them most. Today, I’m proud that our legislature has finally shown up for them, too.

Thank you for your support, team.

— Senator Lindsey Williams