CENTRE COUNTY, Pa. (WTAJ)– A Centre County emergency medical service announced that they will soon be disbanded, citing a lack of staffing which has been affecting many others in the area.
Port Matilda EMS posted to Facebook Monday, that the choice to disband services was “not made easily and not without a lot of regret.” Besides the borough, the EMS also covers parts of Halfmoon, Huston, Worth, Taylor, Ferguson, and Warriors Mark Townships.
Within the next 90 days, the non-profit organization will be closing after providing decades of service since being founded in 1951.
“It has truly been an honor to support this community,” the company wrote.
The company is losing two employees while they are already facing being understaffed. With the loss, the company would then be down to just two part-time workers along with a volunteer which is “not enough to provide an adequate level of service to our community,” the company wrote.
Along with the shortage of EMS workers in the Centre County area, the company also stated that they have not been able to provide competitive wages and benefits.
There has yet to be another EMS chosen that will serve area residents. But Port Matilda asks that once a company is picked, residents will continue to show their support.
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Earlier in the month, the company posted on Facebook that they were in “critical state,” and that all EMS were hurting for help. Back in 2019, the company was also facing payroll issues that almost had it go under.