CURWENSVILLE – Every year, more than 70,000 children are transported by ambulances in Pennsylvania. This means that almost every seven minutes a child is being taken to the hospital with a potentially life-threatening medical condition.
In order to ensure that emergency response agencies within the Commonwealth are prepared for pediatrics, the Pennsylvania Emergency Medical Services for Children program, in partnership with the Department of Health, Bureau of EMS and the Pennsylvania Emergency Health Services Council, has created the Pediatric Voluntary Recognition Program. The program recognizes EMS agencies that are willing to go above and beyond current requirements to deliver excellence in emergency medical care to children within the Commonwealth.
The Pennsylvania Pediatric Voluntary Recognition Program has recognized 46 EMS agencies across the state in its initial recognition phase, including the Rescue Hose & Ladder Company Ambulance Service, located in Curwensville. The program consists of four levels that include pediatric equipment standards, ChildLine background checks, pediatric-related continuing education courses and community outreach programs. Currently, the Rescue Hose & Ladder Company Ambulance Service is recognized at the basic level, which means that the ambulance service has additional pediatric-specific medical equipment on its ambulances. By carrying additional equipment not currently on the Pennsylvania Department of Health’s required equipment list, the Rescue Hose & Ladder Company Ambulance is demonstrating that it’s truly prepared for pediatric patients and ready to respond to any and all emergency situations involving Pennsylvania’s youngest citizens.
The recent economic recession has hit many areas hard, and the Rescue Hose & Ladder Company Ambulance Service is no exception. After suffering through difficult financial times just over a year ago, the Rescue Hose & Ladder Company Ambulance has emerged in its strongest financial position in more than a decade, and is now only one of two ambulance services in the EMMCO East EMS Region to be recognized under this program. The EMMCO East Regional EMS Council serves Cameron, Clearfield, Elk, Jefferson, McKean and Potter counties in north central Pennsylvania.
The Rescue Hose & Ladder Company Ambulance Service is the primary ambulance provider for Curwensville, Grampian and Lumber City Boroughs, as well as Pike Township. Additionally, the ambulance service provides coverage to portions of the townships of Knox, Penn, Bloom and Ferguson, as well as mutual aid to surrounding areas of Clearfield County.