A report released Wednesday warns that Pennsylvania’s fire and rescue services face a crisis, saying the number of volunteers continues to fall amid funding needs and training challenges.
The 95-page legislative study said there were about 300,000 volunteer firefighters in the state in the 1970s, a number that’s fallen to about 38,000 currently. Emergency medical services also have seen recent declines in personnel.
“I’ve never been one to cry wolf, never in my life, and I’m telling you, we’re in a crisis right now,” said state Sen. Randy Vulakovich, R-38, Allegheny, who helped lead the study effort. “We’ve got to get a handle on this thing.”
The report’s 27 recommendations include simplifying regionalization, boosting state aid, setting standards for firefighter training and requiring sprinklers in new home construction.