The boards of directors of the Greater Pittston Regional Ambulance Association and the Exeter Community Ambulance Association announce they have reached agreement in principal to enter into a full merger of both organizations. This decision was reached by both boards in recognizing the combined operations will provide significantly enhanced resources, efficient service, and economies of scale to the communities served by these organizations.
Both organizations are community-based, non-profit EMS providers.
The Greater Pittston Regional Ambulance is a combination career/volunteer organization which provides advanced life support care (paramedic services) and basic life support services. The Exeter Community Ambulance is also a combination of career /volunteer personnel providing basic life support service.
The merged service will provide advanced life support/paramedic care, basic life support, and EMS special operations to the communities that will be served by the merged entity which will include the City of Pittston, Jenkins Township, Yatesville Borough, and Exeter Borough. It is anticipated the merger will be complete April 2019.
For many years, the Greater Pittston Regional Ambulance and the Exeter Community Ambulance have had a mutual aid agreement whereby Greater Pittston Regional provided advanced life support/paramedic assistance to the Exeter Ambulance. The combined entity will now mean advanced life support care will be available to Exeter Borough residents on an immediate basis, from a community-based, non-profit EMS agency. The combined resources of the merged organization will include a career staff of 50 highly-trained and experienced paramedics and EMTs supplemented by a capable staff of volunteers and an administrative team to handle all daily administrative functions of the organization.
The newly-merged service will make use of five ambulance vehicles, two special operations/support vehicles, and a special operations trailer. The combined force will have the capability of providing advanced life support care, basic life support care, and EMS special operations, consisting of tactical EMS response, firefighter rehab, and special event and major emergency response coverage.
For Exeter Borough residents, there should be no fear of a lapse in EMS coverage, as the Greater Pittston Regional Ambulance continues to provide EMS coverage while the merger is legally finalized, utilizing multiple paid duty crews on duty around the clock. Additionally, the Exeter Community Ambulance station on Lincoln Street in Exeter Borough will continue to operate with EMS crews staffing this station on a regular basis, thereby ensuring Exeter Borough residents will have continued quick access to emergency medical care .
The merged service will continue to offer an annual subscription program to the community whereby community members and businesses can pay a small fee to subscribe to the service on an annual basis. Subscribers will not be billed for any charges for service beyond what is covered by any applicable health insurance. There will be no cost increases for the 2019 subscription program for Exeter residents. Additional details on the 2019 subscription drive will be forthcoming.
The boards of directors of both organizations plan to continue their operating relationship on a merged basis which will ensure residents of the communities have access to EMS care provided by paid, professional highly-skilled EMTs and paramedics on a perpetual basis. The organization will continue to update the community on the status of the merger through traditional media channels, in addition to the Greater Pittston Regional Ambulance social media channels on Facebook and Instagram.
