April 20, 2026 - Altoona, PA
Department of Health Secretary Dr. Debra Bogen will highlight recent equipment upgrades made possible through $6 million in funding from the Shapiro Administration for Emergency Medical Services (EMS) professionals during a visit to Southern Allegheny EMS (SAEMS) Regional Council Headquarters in Altoona. The event will also emphasize the importance of an additional $6 million in Governor Josh Shapiro's 2026-2027 proposed budget and how it will continue to build and equip the EMS workforce of tomorrow. In partnership with Pennsylvania's 13 regional EMS councils, this additional investment from the EMS Operating Fund (EMSOF) builds on the Shapiro Administration's total investment of approximately $56 million from the fund since 2023. The proposed $6 million investment will be used to purchase modern equipment for EMS professionals, such as video laryngoscopes and intravenous (IV) pumps, ensuring they have the most up-to-date equipment and enabling emergency care to be as effective as possible for Pennsylvanians. In Pennsylvania, more than 17,000 EMS providers respond to over 2.2 million calls annually. WHO: Secretary of Health Dr. Debra Bogen Southern Allegheny EMS Regional Council Director Jordan Anthony Bureau Director of EMS Anthony Martin Bedford Area Ambulance EMS Manager Heather Deibert Berline Area Ambulance EMS Manager Kris Wyant WHEN: MONDAY, April 20, 2026, at 10:30 AM WHERE: Southern Alleghenies EMS Regional Council Headquarters 105 W 13th Avenue Suite 2 Altoona, PA 16601 VISUALS:EMS professionals will demonstrate this new equipment in a staged medical emergency. MEDIA RSVP: Media interested in attending must RSVP with the name of the reporter and photojournalist to ra-dhpressoffice@pa.gov.
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