EMS Grant Bill Introduced in House

All EMS Organizations Eligible with Limitations

On Wednesday evening, Representative Andy Kim (D-NJ) along with Representatives Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), Cynthia Axne (D-IA), Mike Carey (R-OH), Marc Veasey (D-TX), Al Larson (D-FL), and Bruce Westerman (R-AR) introduced the Supporting our First Responders Act (H.R. 8994). H.R. 8994 would establish the “EMS Grant Program” with funding at $50 million a year. Grants could be used for the training and retention of paramedics and EMTs, equipment, and facility modifications as well as additional purposes as seen fit by the HHS Secretary.

Of significant importance, private sector ambulance service organizations would be eligible for grants under the program. While the total amount available to private EMS would be capped at 2% or $1 million of the funding per year, H.R. 8994 is the first piece of legislation to explicitly state that private for-profit ambulance service organizations would be eligible to apply directly for such grant funding. The AAA worked closely with the sponsors of H.R. 8994 as well as Boundtree and the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT) on the introduction of the bill.