Pennsylvania Delivers $6.6 Million for EMS Professionals

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Published March 18th, 2026

Detected March 19th, 2026

Summary

The Pennsylvania administration announced the delivery of $6.6 million to equip Emergency Medical Services (EMS) professionals across the Commonwealth. This funding, part of the 2025-26 budget, aims to recruit, train, and equip EMS personnel to improve response times and save lives.

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What changed

Governor Josh Shapiro's administration has allocated $6.6 million from the EMS Operating Fund to support Emergency Medical Services (EMS) agencies in Pennsylvania. This funding, included in the 2025-26 budget, is designated for recruiting, training, and equipping EMS professionals, with the majority distributed to 13 Regional EMS Councils for life-saving equipment and the remainder for recruitment, retention, system upgrades, and pilot initiatives.

While this announcement details the distribution of funds and highlights the importance of EMS support, it does not impose new direct compliance obligations on regulated entities. However, EMS agencies receiving these funds should ensure proper utilization for equipment purchase, training, and recruitment as intended. The funding mechanism relies on fees from traffic violations and the Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition program, and the Governor's proposed 2026-2027 budget includes an additional $6 million for continued EMSOF investment.

Source document (simplified)

Shapiro Administration Delivers $6.6 Million to Recruit, Train and Equip EMS Professionals to Keep Pennsylvanians Safe, Save Lives

Since taking office, Governor Josh Shapiro’s budgets have invested more than $56 million from the EMS Operating Fund to provide EMS professionals with the support they need.

March 18, 2026
Harrisburg, PA – **** Emergency medical services (EMS) agencies across the Commonwealth are getting an infusion of $6.6 million to recruit, train, and equip EMS professionals so they can improve response times and save more lives.

The $6.6 million investment was included in the 2025-26 **** budget that Governor Josh Shapiro signed into law, directing funding from the EMS Operating Fund (EMSOF) to help build the EMS workforce of tomorrow.

The majority of that funding will be distributed to the state’s 13 Regional EMS Councils, which oversee Pennsylvania’s EMS agencies that respond to a high volume of emergency calls, assisting more than 2.2 million Pennsylvanians annually.

Emergency medical services professionals provide essential services in urgent medical situations, rapidly stabilizing and transporting patients to an emergency department.

“EMS professionals are called to care for people in their times of need and when they arrive, we expect them to be well-trained and equipped to respond,” said Secretary of Health Dr. Debra Bogen. “We need to ensure that they have the necessary training and equipment to save lives and provide safe transport to the hospital. I saw first-hand earlier this month an example of the tools and training needed when I visited EMS West Regional Council for a demonstration of video laryngoscopes purchased for their EMS agencies. I am excited to see funding support similar innovative programs across the Commonwealth.”

Following is a breakdown of the funds distributed this month to help licensed EMS agencies in Pennsylvania purchase life-saving equipment:

| Regional EMS Councils | Total |
| Bucks County Health Services | $154,124.96 |
| Chester County Department of Emergency Services | $143,312.74 |
| Delaware County EMS Council | $116,932.72 |
| Eastern PA EMS Council | $461,123.19 |
| Emergency Health Services Federation (EHSF) | $649,270.59 |
| Emergency Medical Management Cooperative West (EMMCO West) | $331,252.87 |
| EMS West (EMSI) | $1,061,632.88 |
| Lycoming, Tioga, Sullivan (LTS) | $143,347.93 |
| Montgomery County EMS Council | $184,242.57 |
| Emergency Medical Services of Northeastern PA | $369,141.97 |
| Philadelphia EMS Council | $310,004.42 |
| Seven Mountains EMS Council | $294,701.15 |
| Southern Alleghenies EMS Council | $280,912.03 |
| Total | $4,500,000.00 |
The remaining funds will be invested in recruitment and retention initiatives, replacing the current EMS registry system, and EMS pilot initiatives to improve call responses.

The EMS Operating Fund supports EMS agencies through 13 regional EMS councils and a state advisory council. The regional EMS councils conduct educational programming, inspect ambulance services, distribute ambulance equipment funds, and perform other activities to support EMS agencies.

EMSOF is primarily funded through a $20 fee on moving traffic violations and a $50 fee from people admitted to the Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition (ARD) program.

Governor Shapiro’s 2026-2027 proposed budget includes spending $6 million more from the EMSOF to continue supporting and investing in a world-class EMS workforce.

A Track Record of Investing in Emergency Medical Services and First Responders

In 2023, Governor Shapiro signed Act 15 into law to increase Medicaid mileage reimbursement rates for ambulance services – helping EMS agencies stay financially stable, remain open, and be properly reimbursed for costs associated with delivering care to Pennsylvanians.

The Department of Health launched a three-year tuition assistance program in 2024 to provide up to $5,000 in reimbursement to individuals who earn an Emergency Medical Responder (EMR), Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), Advanced Emergency Medical Technician (AEMT), or paramedic certification.

EMS agencies are eligible to receive up to $5,000 in reimbursement per fiscal year for expenses related to recruitment and retention efforts.

Read an overview of Governor Shapiro’s 2026-2027 budget proposal or explore the full Budget in Brief here.