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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2021 - 2022
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | March 1, 2022 02:38 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Rich Irvin |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Volunteer Emergency Responder Training Assistance |
| In the near future, I will be introducing legislation that will assist volunteer emergency responders by returning the Full-Time Equivalency (FTE) reimbursement program for community college funding and expanding it to allow emergency response training to be applied toward a college degree, relevant to public safety and emergency management. Prior to 2005, the FTE model reimbursed community colleges that provided public safety training for emergency services, keeping the cost of training low, or at times, at no cost at all. When the FTE reimbursement was removed from the funding formula, effectively limiting the availability of first responder training, community colleges invested more in degree programs, at the expense of public safety training. Today, many training programs have either been cut or subject to massive price increases, discouraging enrollment and expediting the shortage of firefighters and EMS members in Pennsylvania. Reconstituting the FTE model is Recommendation # 21 of the General Assembly’s 2018 Senate Resolution 6 Commission report, which addressed our Commonwealth’s dire emergency services crises. The provision of fire and EMS services are a core function of government and are necessary to maintain both the health and safety of its citizens. It is crucial that we work to incentivize, encourage, and reward Pennsylvanians to serve on their local emergency service organizations to meet and maintain this responsibility. Thus, student-trainees should also have the opportunity to apply their training to a degree program in emergency management, preparedness, response, or other related areas of study. States like Texas and New Jersey offer similar educational and financial incentives with the intent of bolstering registration and recruitment for public safety training to maintain adequate fire and EMS forces statewide. Trainees should be afforded the choice to either solely pursue a path in emergency services or employ these skills towards an accredited degree, or a combination of both. This legislation would help address the crisis being experienced due to a severe emergency first responder shortage seen across our Commonwealth while also helping to fulfill the government’s duty to ensure the protection of the health and safety of the public. Please consider supporting me in this important piece of legislation. |