Frequently asked questions are listed below. Have a question that isn’t listed? Submit your question.
A municipal emergency services authority is a municipal government authority established in accordance with the Pennsylvania Municipality Authorities Act to fund, manage and provide emergency services in member municipalities. Municipalities in Pennsylvania are responsible for the provision of emergency services by state law.
A countywide municipal emergency services authority for Indiana Count is being formed because the future of emergency services is at risk. Locally, Life Stat Ambulance shut down in December 2024 after 36 years of service. Citizens’ Ambulance Service is struggling, as voluntary membership subscriptions have steeply declined during the past decade. Municipalities in the county are creating the countywide emergency services authority to meet their statutory obligation to provide EMS services and ensure that EMS service is ready and available on a sustainable basis.
The authority board will consist of nine members (one appointed member from each of eight municipal districts and a county representative). Each municipality will contribute to management of the authority through their district. As a municipal government organization, the authority’s board meetings will be open to the public.
Unlike ambulance agencies that generate revenue through voluntary contributions, which leave them deeply underfunded, the countywide emergency services authority will charge property owners an annual fee to fund its operation. The mandatory fee is anticipated to be on par with EMS agency voluntary membership subscription rates. The fee will replace EMS agency voluntary membership subscriptions.
Yes. Insurance reimbursements for EMS services only part of the cost, not the entire cost, of emergency services. And reimbursement only occurs on a per call basis; it does not cover the cost of staffing, facilities, apparatus, equipment, maintenance and training to be ready to respond to EMS calls 24/7.
The annual fee will ensure that emergency services remain available to residents, businesses and visitors in member municipalities. Should you need to utilize the authority’s emergency services, your benefits include 24/7 readiness to respond to EMS calls.
No, the annual fee will not be billed to renters. As stipulated by the Pennsylvania Municipality Authorities Act, the annual fee will be billed to property owners. Property owners may decide if and how they choose to pass the fee on to renters.
Late fees and penalties will be assessed for unpaid bills, same as what occurs if you don’t pay your taxes. All options available to the authority may be utilized to attempt to collect unpaid bills including, but not limited to, third-party collection companies and property liens.
The countywide municipal emergency services authority expects to provide dedicated EMS to member municipalities from stations strategically located throughout the county based on call volume and to achieve the fastest response time.
Yes, as a municipal government organization, authority board meetings will be public meetings during which the public will be welcomed and encouraged to attend.
Yes. As a government entity, the authority will be subject to and will comply with the Pennsylvania’s Sunshine Act (open meetings law) and Right-to-Know law. All board meetings will be public meetings during which the public will be welcomed and encouraged to attend. Financial and operational decisions will all be discussed and approved in public meetings.
Yes, if you receive emergency services from the authority, the authority will submit an insurance claim on your behalf just as a private EMS agency would do.
As customary among EMS providers, the countywide emergency services authority will participate in mutual aid agreements with EMS responders in neighboring municipalities to receive and lend assistance to respond to calls within and across municipal boundaries.
Joint special meetings of townships and boroughs in Indiana County were held on Jan. 29 and Jan. 30, 2025. The meetings included a presentation about the state of EMS in the county and the proposed countywide municipal emergency services authority. Following the presentation, municipal elected officials deliberated and voted on an ordinance to delegate the administration of emergency medical services to the proposed authority on a mutually agreeable date. The enactment of the ordinances permitted the county to hold a formal public hearing on the formation of the authority and to incorporate it in accordance with the Pennsylvania Municipality Authorities Act. Once the authority is incorporated and a board is installed, the authority will plan and prepare to begin operating, which is targeted for 2026.
The emergency services authority plans to begin operating in 2026.
Municipalities in Pennsylvania are responsible for the provision of emergency services by state law. The countywide municipal emergency services authority will ensure that life-saving emergency services continue to be available on a long-term, sustainable basis. If the authority is not created and funded, communities in Indiana County will be at risk of not being able to provide emergency services when you or your loved one need them.
The emergency services authority will promote emergency services locally as a professional career path through recruitment, training, professional development, competitive compensation and comprehensive benefit programs. The authority will make information on employment opportunities available when the authority is incorporated and ready to begin accepting applications.