Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Fire And Ems topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Upper Merion Fire & EMS plans for two new ambulances, flags concern over PennDOT shoulder proposal
Summary
Chief James Johnson told the Public Safety Citizen Advisory Board the township expects two new ambulances this summer, is completing a fleet study and is addressing EMT staffing gaps; he also warned a PennDOT proposal to allow hard running of shoulders on Route 76 could impede emergency access.
Chief James Johnson, Chief of Fire and Emergency Medical Services for Upper Merion Township, told the Public Safety Citizen Advisory Board on Jan. 14 that the township expects delivery of two new ambulances during the summer and is wrapping up a comprehensive fleet study intended to identify maintenance needs and long‑term fleet recommendations.
The study has prompted the township to issue a request for proposals for vendors to maintain and repair the fleet, Chief Johnson said. He reported the department is short by "2 or 3" EMTs but has conducted several interviews and hired a replacement for a Safer program recruit who is leaving the area; additional interviews are scheduled.
Johnson said 13 EMTs recently graduated from the training institute and are registered to sit for the certification exam; eight of those graduates were Upper Merion volunteers. He described the volunteer program and the stipend system as important to maintaining coverage, and noted a relief association exists to help volunteer firefighters with education costs.
The chief also said Upper Merion will support the county SWAT mission; that effort includes roughly 16 hours of training per month and results in about five SWAT calls per year. He added that staffing the third out ambulance has improved response capacity and generated additional revenue for the department.
Johnson said an ISO review will take place this year, a new tower truck will be placed in service with accompanying training, and he raised a specific operational concern: PennDOT has proposed allowing the hard running of shoulders on Route 76, which he said could affect crews’ ability to access incidents on the highway.
The board did not take any formal action on the report. The next PSCAB meeting will be a joint session with the Board of Supervisors on April 24, 2025.
