East Deer to decide which ambulance service to use in the future

East Deer Commissioners face an important decision on what emergency medical service will care for its residents.

Commissioners Chairman Tony Taliani said Lower Valley Ambulance Service notified the township it will make a proposal to include East Deer in its coverage area.

He said the other option is the EMS authority that’s being organized through a merger of Eureka EMS in Tarentum and Citizens Hose EMS in Harrison. The authority, composed of representatives from each community, would oversee and support the joint service.

That is expected to become a reality in January and help alleviate financial problems both services are dealing with.

It’s part of a statewide trend that has EMS units battling financial difficulties due to low insurance reimbursements, declining memberships and increasing costs.

Lower Valley also had been experiencing financial problems but has turned its fortunes around in the past year after installing a new management team.

East Deer historically has been served by Eureka, and the thinking has been that the township would join with Harrison, Tarentum and Brackenridge as a member of the authority.

Fawn officials said if the authority is formed, they might join later.

“With the creation of this authority, there will be a fee on every household in the township,” Taliani said.

He said there was no mention of a fee if the township decides to use Lower Valley.

However, Terry Anzaldi, chief of Lower Valley, previously told the Tribune-Review the five core communities it serves — Harmar, Springdale, Cheswick, Springdale Township and Verona — made a financial contribution last year.

He said they chipped in $15,000 each to provide a “financial cushion” for the service.

Bill “Red” McElligott, Springdale Township manager, is vice president of the Lower Valley Ambulance board of directors.

He said the contribution was requested, not required.

“We didn’t mandate it, but nobody said ‘no,’ ” McElligott said, and said residents were not assessed an EMS fee by their communities.

But, he said, Lower Valley continues with an annual membership campaign seeking contributions from residents in all of its communities.

“We’ll make a decision on what’s best,” Taliani said.