York, PA — In an ongoing effort to create a uniform EMS system that provides high-quality service to all areas of York County, the WellSpan Emergency Services Fund of York County Community Foundation (YCCF) has awarded a grant of $337,000 to three local nonprofit EMS providers to create efficiencies and optimize service delivery. The three organizations in the project, York Regional Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Inc., Grantley Fire Company, and West York Ambulance are combining to create First Capital Community Transport Partners.
The grant is the second grant to the newly formed organization and provides resources for professional services needed to get the new organization up and running including legal, accounting, information technology and branding support. It also supports the purchase of a new emergency vehicle and medical equipment so that First Capital EMS can provide top-notch care for approximately 75,000 residents of West York, Spring Garden, York Township, and Yoe.
The creation of First Capital Community Transport Partners is the first step towards regionalizing and coordinating their provision of emergency and medical transportation services.
York Regional EMS, Grantley Fire Company, and West York Ambulance have been in discussions about coordination and consolidation for the past six years to create the foundation on which a sustainable, broad-based, uniform EMS system could be established. With the grant from the WellSpan Emergency Services Fund, the three nonprofit organizations were able to create one that is viable, high quality, and nimble to react to and resolve service area challenges now and into the future.
“The merger of York Regional EMS, Grantley Fire Company, and West York Ambulance into First Capital Community Transport is a great example of a collaborative project that will help strengthen the delivery of services in municipalities in York County,” said Jane M. Conover, president & CEO of YCCF. “This is the second municipal strategic alliance to be funded since the fund was created in 2014 with the first being the Southern York County EMS. It’s exciting to see our EMS organizations come together and find ways to increase their sustainability so that they can continue to provide the critical services that we all need for a strong and healthy community.”
Established by WellSpan Health, with the goal of creating a more coordinated, regional EMS system that effectively meets the needs of York County communities, the WellSpan Emergency Services Fund provides grants for purposes such as professional services, start-up resources, and/or the development of new and innovative collaborative projects in order to meet the emergency medical needs of the community. Since 2014, the fund has awarded more than $500,000 in grants. More information can be found at www.yccf.org.
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