Governor Shapiro Shares Plans to Make Communities Safer, Highlights Investments in Fire and EMS Services in Visit to Altoona Fire Department – Governor Josh Shapiro

Governor Shapiro’s commonsense finances proposal contains $36 million for tools and coaching for firefighters and EMS suppliers and over $50 million for 9-1-1 companies.

Altoona, PA – Right now, Governor Josh Shapiro highlighted his plans to create safer communities by investing in Pennsylvania’s 9-1-1 emergency communications system and firefighters, and emergency medical companies (EMS) suppliers throughout a go to to the Altoona Fireplace Division. Governor Shapiro’s finances proposes investments of $36 million for tools, coaching, and staffing wants for firefighters and EMS suppliers and greater than $50 million in county 9-1-1 emergency communications methods.

Governor Shapiro’s first finances – a commonsense set of options to essentially the most urgent points Pennsylvanians face – makes essential investments in creating safer communities and supporting firefighters and first responders, who’re on the frontlines of protecting Pennsylvanians secure.

Throughout his go to, Governor Shapiro met with firefighters to listen to firsthand in regards to the challenges they face and be taught extra in regards to the assist they want from the Commonwealth.

“When Pennsylvanians are in want of assist, we have to guarantee assistance is on the way in which – and that’s the reason investing in our emergency operations facilities and personnel is a prime precedence for my Administration,” mentioned Governor Josh Shapiro. “My finances invests $36 million in new cash for firefighters’ tools, coaching, and salaries to assist and develop their ranks and over $50 million for 9-1-1 companies – as a result of creating safer communities means supporting our firefighters and first responders. Our first responders are on the frontlines of protecting us secure, they usually all the time have our backs – it’s time to ship the investments and assist they deserve.”

“Governor Shapiro’s funding in public security throughout the Commonwealth will straight affect the finances and staffing shortfalls that so many public security companies face,” mentioned Altoona Fireplace Chief Adam Free. “This funding will guarantee each public security company has the correct sources to supply the important companies essential to hold our residents secure and safe. With out this needed funding, the security and safety of our residents could possibly be in jeopardy. I want to thank Governor Shapiro for his dedication to public security and for understanding our difficulties.”

“Inside days of taking workplace, Governor Shapiro and his workforce met with the Pennsylvania Skilled Fireplace Fighters Affiliation (PPFFA) in Harrisburg, asking what wanted to be performed to enhance the hearth and EMS companies in Pennsylvania. He understood the necessity for elevated staffing, the dangers of staffing cuts, new equipment and the instruments essential to hold not solely the group secure, however the fireplace and EMS personnel on the streets,” mentioned Metropolis of Altoona Fireplace Fighter & Western Vice President, Pennsylvania Skilled Fireplace Fighters Affiliation Pat Miller.  “The members of Worldwide Affiliation of Fireplace Fighters Native 299 and the PPFFA need to thank Governor Shapiro for the continued assist, understanding our wants and issues, and dealing to enhance emergency companies throughout this nice Commonwealth.”  

Native communities and counties throughout the Commonwealth are at present dealing with shortages among the many essential frontline employees and first responders who hold our communities secure. In 2018, there have been 22,000 fewer volunteer firefighters than Pennsylvania had within the early 2000s and a minimum of 6,000 fewer emergency medical technicians in comparison with 2012, whereas 20 p.c of full-time 9-1-1 dispatch jobs are at present unfilled.

Governor Shapiro acknowledges that these vacancies pressure the departments and employees Pennsylvanians depend on, and his finances proposal makes very important investments to assist our frontline employees. The Governor’s finances contains greater than $50 million for 9-1-1 emergency communications methods – and ties that funding to the price of residing so it retains up with rising prices – and a $36 million improve for EMS and fireplace companies, together with tools, coaching, and salaries to assist them and develop our ranks of first responders.

Governor Shapiro is aware of firsthand the struggles that counties face on the native stage, and his finances commits $1.5 million – a 266 p.c improve – within the Municipal Help Program to assist native governments and assist counties share sources to implement emergency assist companies and lead group revitalization efforts.

Making communities throughout the Commonwealth safer is a prime precedence for the Shapiro Administration. By means of the creation of the Public Security and Safety Fund, the Governor’s finances proposal will sustainably fund the Pennsylvania State Police to recruit and retain well-staffed, well-funded, and well-trained officers and supplies a tax credit score of as much as $2,500 for brand spanking new officers to assist communities rent law enforcement officials at each stage.

Be taught extra about Governor Shapiro’s complete strategy to constructing safer communities right here: http://shapirobudget.pa.gov.

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