Hello Levittown Patch!

As one of the newest Local Voice Bloggers, I want to take a few moments to introduce myself.

My name is Bruce; I am a lifelong resident of Lower Bucks/Levittown area. I was raised in Bristol Township, but currently live in Bristol Borough (we don’t have our own Patch edition so we piggy back on the Levittown edition).

I am a proud graduate of Truman High School/Bucks County Technical High School – Class of 1991. I happily support both Career & Technical Education and public education in general. I would agree that our current education system is facing many challenging issues, but I believe all these issues can be resolved with the cooperation of school officials, elected leaders, parents and students.

I am a career Paramedic, working in both Bucks and Montgomery Counties. I have been involved with the Emergency Services since 1989 when I began as a volunteer firefighter in Bristol Township. I am an advocate for Public Safety and believe there are many things we can do to make our communities safer places to live.

As part of this first post I would like to talk about one of the topics that is very important to me;

On May 2, United States Congressman Michael Fitzpatrick introduced HR 1668, The Danny McIntosh Emergency Medical Services Provider Protection Act. This bill would amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 which provides death benefits for public safety responders killed in the line of duty.

The law as currently written provides death benefits for police officers, volunteer firefighters and members of a rescue squad or ambulance crew that is recognized or designated a public employee. The current law does not recognize members of a volunteer or non-profit ambulance services that provides emergency medical services care to a community.

The Danny McIntosh EMS Providers Protection Act would change the language of the current law to include “employee or volunteer member of a rescue squad or ambulance crew that is a public agency; or is (or is a part of) a nonprofit entity serving the public that is officially authorized or licensed to engage in rescue activities or to provide emergency medical services; and is officially designated as a pre-hospital emergency medical response agency."

Danny McIntosh was a paramedic with the Bensalem Rescue Squad. Danny died of a heart attack while on duty, following a foot-chase of a reported suicidal subject. Danny passed away on March 7, 2010 and left behind a wife and two daughters.

Currently Emergency Medical Services in most communities throughout the United States are provided by non-profit volunteer or private ambulance services. The employees and members of these organizations are not governmental unit employees even though they service the public trust by providing a critically emergency service. Representative Fitzpatrick is trying to close a loop-hole that has prevented this benefit for Emergency Medical Services personnel throughout the country. As of today, eight EMS providers have died in the line of duty in 2011 -- five of those would most likely be considered ineligible for Public Safety Office Death Benefits based on the wording to the current law.

I ask you to take a few minutes today and show support for this bill, contact your local United States Congress member and ask them to support this legislation! The bill has now been referred to the House Committee of Judiciary, most bills die in committee -- we need your support now. Please contact the Committee Chairman, Representative Lamar Smith (Texas) and ask that this bill be sent to the full House of Representatives for action.

I hope that you will find my future posts both entertaining and informative while they introduce you to the many terrific things in and around Levittown. Levittown (and surroundings area) is a great community full of wonderful people and with many amazing things to see and do!

I am happy to join Alan, Stacey and Susanne as Local Voices here on the Levittown Patch. Of course, I welcome your feedback and comments to anything I write. Please feel free to follow me on Twitter and Facebook.

Stay Safe,

Bruce