The proposal to create a paid ambulance authority for Harrison, Tarentum and Brackenridge could be formalized as soon as January.
A special public hearing and joint meeting of the three municipalities is scheduled for 6 p.m. Jan. 14 at Highlands High School.
“This represents an important step in enabling a coordinated framework for delivering stable emergency medical services to our communities,” Harrison Township Manager Amy Rockwell said. “The vote on this creation rests upon each municipality’s elected officials on Jan. 14, when they will vote to adopt the Articles of Incorporation.”
As proposed, the Alle-Kiski Emergency Service Authority would merge Eureka Community Ambulance in Tarentum and Citizens Hose EMS in Harrison.
Residents of each member community would share costs, initially estimated at about $85 a year, or $7 a month. The costs have not been finalized.
People who rent would not be charged unless property owners pass the fee on.
Operational details, including billing, collections and the handling of existing payments or contributions, would be determined by the authority once it is established, Tarentum Borough Manager Dwight Boddorf said.
“Those items are intentionally not locked in at this stage, as they require policy decisions by the authority’s governing board,” he said.
If approved, operations could begin in the fall.
Ambulance authorities could be the norm for EMS moving forward, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Authorities serve as a potential solution to a national crisis of insufficient funding and a dwindling workforce.
A multi-municipal approach through a paid service enables new hires and faster response times, said Rob Brady, a consultant working with local leaders on the formation of the authority.
Pooled resources and increased transparency can help deliver better coverage, stable funding and increased retention, he said.
Eureka and Citizens officials have said operations would be unsustainable without a major change.
The vote in January reflects months of discussion and collaboration among participating municipalities with the goal of providing reliable and long-term EMS response, Rockwell said.
“This next step in the creation of the Alle-Kiski Emergency Service Authority once again shows that our region can proactively come together and find innovative local solutions that can serve as an example for people across the state and the nation working to solve these same issues in their communities,” Brackenridge Mayor Lindsay Fraser said.
If the authority is approved, the initial members of the authority board would be appointed and next its steps, including public participation, will be announced.
“What can be said at this time is that the discussions to date have been focused on stabilizing EMS service, ensuring long-term sustainability and maintaining reliable emergency response for residents,” Boddorf said.