Fawn is the final holdout of a proposed paid, regional ambulance authority — leaving the future of the township’s EMS coverage up in the air.
Supervisors must decide whether to join the Alle-Kiski Emergency Services Authority, expected to move forward this fall, or look elsewhere for 911 service.
“We haven’t made a decision yet,” Township Secretary Pam Ponsart said. “The board will consider all options.”
The township is currently covered by Eureka Community Ambulance Service, which also covers Brackenridge and Tarentum.
But Eureka is set to merge with Citizens Hose EMS in Harrison to create the new authority.
A vote by the elected officials of Brackenridge, Tarentum and Harrison is set for 6 p.m. Wednesday at Highlands High School.
Until last month, Eureka was also responsible for Frazer and East Deer, but both decided to go in a different direction.
“Our board was not in favor of joining another authority,” said Lori Ziencik, Frazer township manager.
Both East Deer and Frazer have joined Lower Valley Ambulance Service, which also covers Harmar, Springdale, Cheswick, Springdale Township and Verona.
Ziencik said the move comes at no cost to the township, but Frazer plans to make a voluntary contribution. No amount has been determined yet.
Residents will be asked to donate through Lower Valley’s subscription drive, which has been mailed out.
“A good thing for us is that Lower Valley is putting a station in East Deer, so the response time will be excellent,” Ziencik said.
The proposal to merge Eureka and Citizens is meant to secure long-term reliable EMS coverage in the face of rising operating costs, staffing shortages and limited insurance reimbursements, officials said.
Consultants began planning more than a year ago to establish a model that would guarantee coverage for the 18,000 local residents.
The authority will be funded by a combination of insurance reimbursements and an annual flat fee, expected to be about $85, paid by property owners.
East Deer Commissioners President Tony Taliani said the construction of an ambulance station in the township helped his board’s decision.
He said the township will pay Lower Valley $10,000 rather than passing the fee along to property owners as proposed in the authority’s model.
TribLive calls to Lower Valley Ambulance Service were not returned.
Ponsart said the board is open to all options and will discuss the move in upcoming meetings.
Fawn contributes $6,500 a year to Eureka for coverage of its 2,200 residents.
None of the five Fawn supervisors returned TribLive calls seeking comment.
Tarentum Manager Dwight Boddorf said Fawn and other surrounding municipalities are welcome to join the authority even after its formation.
“The process is straightforward: They would need to adopt the appropriate ordinance to authorize participation, and the authority board would then have to vote to approve their entry,” he said. “The intent from the beginning has been to keep the doors open for any community that wants to be part of a long-term regional solution.”
Add-on members would be subject to the same fees to ensure equal cost-sharing across the board, Boddorf said.
“If Fawn or any other community decides they want to join after next week’s vote, the mechanism is there to do so,” he said. “Ultimately, the goal is long-term regional stability, and the odds of success increase as more member communities participate and pay their fair share for essential safety services.”
