Chester mayor declares local emergency as Crozer Hospital begins closure; council approves emergency authority

Mayor Ruth declared a local emergency Wednesday, April 23, after Prospect Medical Holdings and its affiliates advised that Crozer Hospital System would begin winding down operations and that emergency medical services (EMS) at the hospital would be affected beginning at 8 a.m. the same day. The City Council voted unanimously to authorize the mayor to use emergency procurement and response authorities.

The declaration, passed by resolution, cites authority in 35 Pa. C.S.A. § 7501 and the Chester Home Rule Charter § 304 to permit the city to "take all actions as may be authorized without regard to time-consuming procedures and formalities prescribed by law" related to public work, contracts, temporary hires, equipment rental and emergency spending.

The action matters because Crozer EMS historically provided a large share of ambulance coverage for Delaware County. John Paul Shirley, Chester's fire commissioner, told the council that Crozer EMS makes up roughly 51% of EMS capacity in the county and that the hospital's emergency department was on divert while staff were stabilizing and arranging transport for patients. "If you call 911, an ambulance will show up," Shirley said, but he warned longer transport times and a potential "domino effect" as neighboring systems absorb calls.

Council members voted in favor without recorded opposition. The resolution gives the mayor authority to execute contracts and incur obligations as part of emergency response; the resolution text also states the city intends to activate response and recovery aspects of local emergency plans. No specific new contracts or expenditures were announced at the meeting.

Officials described an unfolding situation rather than a completed solution: Shirley and other staff said the timeline for Crozer EMS operations to cease countywide had been discussed internally with dates varying by source (May 2 or May 10 were mentioned). Council and staff said they were working with third parties and county partners to ensure no gap in 911 ambulance response, and that the city had asked dispatchers to use the fire department's quick-response capability where appropriate.

Mayor Ruth and city staff urged residents to watch for updated information on emergency service changes and to continue using 911 for medical emergencies. The council scheduled further briefings after the meeting and encouraged residents to follow announcements from city and county health and emergency-management officials.

Ending: The declaration gives Chester temporary authority to speed procurement and emergency actions if needed; council and staff said they would announce decisions about EMS providers and specific response contracts as agreements are reached.