State House approves legislation
The state House on Monday unanimously approved state Sen. Tim Solobay’s legislation that will allow volunteer firefighters’ relief association funds to be used to pay for the costs related to advanced life support or paramedic training.
More than a year after its original introduction, Senate Bill 707 is now headed to the governor’s desk for his signature.
“Staying on top of the best practices in emergency response is critical to achieving the best outcomes, but it’s expensive and time consuming,” said Solobay, D-Canonsburg. “This bill will help reduce the financial burden on struggling first-responder organizations.”
Currently, Pennsylvania law authorizes the use of volunteer firefighters’ relief association fund for 16 separate categorized items, one of which is to pay for attending firefighters’ training schools. Solobay’s proposal would expand the authorized use of funds to allow for the payment of reasonable expenses incurred for attending emergency medical technician or paramedic training schools. The Senate unanimously passed the bill in January.