There is no doubt about it: the COVID-19 pandemic has thrown us all into a turbulent whirlwind of not knowing what will happen in the future.
In this age of social distancing, excessive hand washing and wearing masks, it is very difficult for fire companies and other rescue personnel to hold fundraisers to raise money to continue operating.
I voted for legislation, which unanimously passed the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, that is aimed at easing the financial burden first responders are facing during the COVID-19 crisis.
The bill would redirect $40 million in state funds to provide automatic crisis grants to each fire and EMS company in Pennsylvania to help volunteer fire companies and emergency medical companies losing revenues from canceled fundraisers.
The legislation funds the grants with $30 million from the Volunteer Companies Loan Fund and $10 million from the state’s General Fund.
Fire companies in my district and across Pennsylvania have lost their ability to hold most fundraisers, and this legislation is one way we can keep them operating for emergencies.
Volunteer fire companies are trying to stretch their dollars to pay bills because they can’t rely on fundraisers, at least anytime in the near future. They must pay for equipment, utilities at the fire house — including heat and electricity — fuel for fire trucks and insurance for their vehicles, fire stations and firefighters.
The funding bill is now being considered in the state Senate.
On the federal side, our U.S. Congressman Matt Cartwright, D-Moosic, recently introduced legislation that would provide hazard pay to law enforcement officers, healthcare professionals and other essential workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The bill is known as the Coronavirus Frontline Workers Pay Act and, if approved, would provide high-risk healthcare workers a hazard pay increase to $18.50 an hour, an increase of $13 an hour for other essential workers such as police officers, firefighters, sheriffs and other first responders.
There would be a hazard pay cap of $35,000 for healthcare workers and $25,000 for other essential workers. The bill would cover workers retroactively from Jan. 1 to the end of this year.
The “high-risk healthcare worker” category includes physicians, surgeons, registered nurses, emergency medical technicians and paramedics, home health and personal care aids, nursing assistants, orderlies and psychiatric aides, physician assistants, respiratory therapists, pharmacists, nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives, nurse practitioners, healthcare diagnosing and treating practitioners, clinical laboratory technologists and technicians, diagnostic related technologists and technicians, pharmacy technicians, psychiatric technicians, surgical technologists, licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses, surgical assistants, and healthcare practitioners and technical workers.
These frontline workers are risking their lives and possibly exposing themselves to COVID-19 while helping us through medical and fire emergencies.
I fully support the state legislation and I commend Congressman Cartwright for his federal hazard pay bill.
This is a critical time when our people rely on lawmakers to pass bipartisan bills for the good of the public.
Remember, if you have a state-related concern, my office is always available to you. You can email me at RepFlynn@pahouse.com or call my office at 570-342-4348.
