Rural Snapshot: EMS

In the fall of 2021, the Center for Rural Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania Emergency Health Services Council (PEHSC) conducted a statewide online survey of Pennsylvania's 744 Emergency Management Agencies. The survey had a response rate of 52 percent.

For this Snapshot, the Center grouped responses into the following two categories: Rural agencies/providers and Urban/Mix agencies/providers. Rural agencies/providers are those that serve rural county(s). Urban/Mix agencies/providers are those that serve urban county(s) or both rural and urban counties.

Following are two terms that are important to know:

• Agency: This is a local organization that oversees the delivery of emergency medical services to people suffering a health crisis. An agency can be part of a fire company, an independent nonprofit organization, a hospital, or a municipally owned entity. Agencies must be licensed by the state to provide specific types of services and transportation. Agencies oversee the activities of providers.

• Provider: This is an individual who provides the hands-on emergency medical services and transportation. A provider is licensed and may be an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), Paramedic, or Prehospital Registered Nurse, to name a few. Providers may be volunteers or paid (career) employees of the agency.