Area residents who are interested in the Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) course set for September at Smethport Volunteer Fire Department will only have to pay half the tuition, thanks to a bill authored by Rep. Martin Causer, R-Turtlepoint.
Course Coordinator Aaron Atkins shared the good news with The Era Thursday, explaining that a conversation with the representative from Penn State Fayette, the university providing the course, revealed the good news.
“I received some updated information regarding the cost of the course, and students will only be responsible for half of the cost,” Atkins said.
Atkins explained that, rather than the $850 price tag noted in a previous edition of The Era, students will only be responsible for $425, which must be paid prior to the start of the course on Sept. 14.
House Bill 1838, which was signed into law Oct. 29, 2020, intends to help rural communities with ambulance staffing issues. The bill increased funding for the Emergency Medical Services Operating Fund (EMSOF) and requires that at least 30% of the funds be used specifically for training.
Fees for moving violations and driving under the influence were increased from $10 to $20 and from $25 to $50, respectively, to fund the EMSOF and help with this distribution of funds for training purposes.
Causer regularly supports laws intended to help support the state’s emergency medical services, including recent efforts to increase Medicaid reimbursement rates for both Advanced Life Support and Basic Life Support ambulance calls.
