Harrisburg, PA - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 22, 2017
Wolf Administration, Health Officials Thank EMS Providers as part of EMS Week
Bethlehem, PA – Deputy Secretary of Health Planning and Assessment Ray Barishansky today visited City of Bethlehem EMS to thank the EMS providers for their work on keeping the residents of Pennsylvania healthy and safe.
“Pennsylvania’s dedicated EMS providers work to prevent premature death and disability by providing care to patients between the home and the hospital,” said Secretary Murphy. “Their tireless work is a testament to the dedication by employees who work in the healthcare field, and during EMS Week we thank them for all that they do.”
“Bethlehem EMS is the primary medical provider of the City of Bethlehem, which spans 19 square miles and has a population of approximately 75,000 people,” said Mayor of Bethlehem Robert Donchez. “Bethlehem EMS responds to over 11,500 calls each year and is recognized by the American Heart Association as a “Gold Level Provider,” reflecting its exceptional cardiac care, and by the Pennsylvania Emergency Health Services Council as a “Master Level Provider” for pediatric care. We are proud of the outstanding care Bethlehem EMS provides to our residents and visitors to the City.”
The Pennsylvania Department of Health is the lead agency for emergency medical services in the commonwealth. Within the Department of Health, the Bureau of Emergency Medical Services is responsible for the statewide development and coordination of a comprehensive system to reduce premature death and disability.
Pennsylvania has over 45,000 certified EMS providers who work for over 1,300 licensed ground and air EMS agencies providing services in Pennsylvania. These providers respond to over one million requests for service each year.
For more information on EMS Week and Emergency Medical Services in Pennsylvania, visit the Department of Health website at www.health.pa.gov or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
MEDIA CONTACT: April Hutcheson - 717-787-1783 or ra-dhpressoffice@pa.gov
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