HARRISBURG – Senator Scott Martin (R-13) announced today that he will introduce a bill to distribute up to $5 million in federal funds to provide hazard pay to emergency medical services (EMS) personnel.
The Wolf Administration recently provided $50 million in grants to employers in life-sustaining industries to provide hazard pay to employees. However, a recent Senate Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness hearing highlighted the fact that EMS organizations were not included in the governor’s program.
Martin said his bill will distribute money from the state’s share of funding from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act to correct this error and ensure frontline EMS workers qualify for hazard pay.
“Our EMS personnel put themselves in harm’s way throughout the pandemic by responding to calls for patients to who exhibited symptoms of COVID-19,” Martin said. “They are the very definition of frontline workers, and their exclusion from the governor’s hazard pay program is unacceptable.”
“This exclusion of our dedicated EMS personnel must be remedied immediately for those who always answer the call in emergencies,” Martin added.
CONTACT: Terry Trego (717) 787-6535