Port Matilda EMS
The Port Matilda Emergency Medical Service is a non-profit, volunteer and career organization providing Basic Life Support (BLS) emergency medical services to the residents and visitors of Halfmoon, Huston, Taylor, and Worth Townships and the Port Matilda Borough.
Urgent News!
We are in danger of closing our doors. Please read below for details.
Past
On November 21, 2022 we shared with the local townships and Port Matilda Borough that comprise our service area that we would be notifying Seven Mtns EMS and the state of our intent to close the service within 90 days.
This was brought about by a critical reduction in staffing caused by low wages and the complete lack of benefits. Funding and staffing have been problematic for several years and reflect a nationwide problem.
Present
We have had overwhelming feedback since our announcement on November 21 and have been meeting with local municipalities to try to come up with solutions to remain open. Many in the community have been advocating on our behalf.
For the time being, we are holding off on formal notification of our intent to close for a few weeks while we investigate all possible avenues.
Future
While we are hopeful that a solution will be found to keep our doors open, we have notified the municipalities that if a reliable, long-term funding solution is not agreed upon by the end of January 2023, we will be closing our door for good.
Several things need to happen to ensure our ongoing success, including funding for competitive compensation, operations, capital expenses, and recruitment and training.
Future of Web
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Frequently Asked Questions
1
Q: Why haven’t we heard about this before now?
A: Communications to the residents we serve can be difficult, but we have made it known to the leadership of the municipalities we serve, and to the media when we can, what the ongoing problems have been.
2
Q: Can’t you just do more fundraising?
A: Fundraising is time consuming and relatively ineffective. While we will continue to do the fundraising events we have in the past, our costs are way beyond what hoagie sales and other fundraising efforts can provide. A typical fundraiser can only provide about $2,000 or so, but our costs are well in excess of $200K.
3
Q: Doesn’t insurance cover most of the cost of the ambulance service?
A: No, and this is a nationwide problem. Insurance companies know that most EMS operations don’t have the means to go after insurance companies when they don’t pay and, consequently, many of them only pay part or none of the bill at all. A local resident recently told us that when they worked for one of the larger insurance companies and clients would call asking about ambulance bills, they told the client not to pay it.
4
Q: If I sign up for a membership, what does that cover?
A: In addition to helping support the EMS, if a member of your household is transported by us, we will accept the payment from the insurance company as payment in full and you won’t receive a bill for any additional balance.
5
Q: Don’t our taxes pay for things like Fire and EMS?
A: To some extent, yes. But historically funding has come from the local municipalities we serve, memberships, donations, fundraising, billing, insurance reimbursement, and various grants. However, over time our costs have increased at a much faster rate than any of those sources have. To continue to survive and thrive into the future we need predictable, increased funding.
Is Gutenberg Great?
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Call to Action
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