Eight ambulance and emergency services providers impacted by the closure of Tower Direct (Medic 93) and Brandywine Hospital will receive $400,000 in total state funding thanks to the work of State Sen. Carolyn Comitta.

“Our emergency first responders and response organizations continue to strive to meet the growing demands and increased challenges that come with serving more people and more communities in a larger area,” Comitta said. “These investments represent a small but important step in supporting their life-saving work with new tools and technology while we continue to work toward a more permanent and sustainable solution.”

The companies, which each received $50,000 in grant funding secured by Comitta, are utilizing the resources to upgrade equipment and vehicles so they can better the needs of the communities they serve.

The ambulance and EMS providers that are receiving funding include the following:

 

• Minquas Fire Co.
• Modena Fire Co.
• Westwood Fire Co.
• Keystone Valley Fire Co.
• Good Fellowship Ambulance
• Uwchlan Ambulance
• Washington Hose Co.
• Southern Chester County EMS

 

“For the past few years, EMS organizations across Chester County have faced the COVID-19 pandemic, hospital closures and a reduction in paramedic services, all coupled with numerous challenges around insurance reimbursements,” said Charles Brogan, president of the Chester County EMS Council and interim executive director of Good Fellowship Ambulance and EMS Training Institute. “This grant funding comes at a time when these already financially strapped organizations have taken on more emergency calls following the realignment and reduction of paramedic services in Chester County by Tower Health. The Chester County EMS Council thanks Senator Comitta for her recognition of the challenges and her continued support for Chester County’s first responders.”

Tower Health abruptly closed Brandywine Hospital and Jennersville Hospital in early 2022 and its Advanced Life Support ambulances, known as Tower Direct’s Medic 93, stopped operating in the area served by the hospitals in September.

 

Some positive developments have taken place since then. The Jennersville location was acquired by ChristianaCare and will reopen as the ChristianaCare West Grove campus. Comitta and other lawmakers secured $2.5 million in state and federal funding for its renovation and the development of outpatient services.

Comitta and other lawmakers secured $2.1 million in federal grant funding for Paoli Hospital and $2.1 million in state grant funding for Chester County Hospital to support expansion projects to help both hospitals manage the resultant influx of patients.

Comitta secured an additional $50,000 in state funding for Southern Chester County Emergency Medical Services/Medic 94 to support the purchase of new equipment for its licensed paramedic units.

Stakeholders and community partners continue to work to facilitate discussions in finding a new owner/operator for Brandywine Hospital.

Comitta also introduced legislation to reform the process around hospital closures, creating a transparent process that encourages greater public participation, so communities can quickly set a course of action to restore access to health services.