Ambulances are parked outside of Wyckoff Hospital in the Brooklyn, N.Y., on April 4. A study published by the CDC finds that people in the United States under the age of 18 are far less likely to fall ill with COVID-19 or require intensive care, compared with older Americans.
Scott LaMar has worked in both radio and television for more than four decades.
Currently, LaMar is the Host and Executive Producer of The Spark program on WITF-FM, 89.5 & 93.3 in Harrisburg, Pa.
Previously, LaMar was WITF TV’s Sr. Public Affairs producer and produced the station’s award-winning weekly public affairs TV program, Smart Talk.
In addition to his on-air duties, LaMar has moderated political candidate debates, including those for candidates running for Pennsylvania governor and the U.S. Senate and was a regular contributor to BBC World News TV before and after the 2020 U.S. Presidential election.
LaMar often emcees or moderates local events and has gone as far as California to emcee a national event.
The American Society of Civil Engineers honored LaMar with their national Excellence in Journalism award in 2020. He has been nominated for five Mid-Atlantic Emmy Awards.
LaMar and The Spark have been recognized throughout the Central Pennsylvania community including ADVOZ Lancaster’s “Dignity in Dialogue Award”, the South-Central Assembly’s “Regional Citizen Award” and was named a “Humanitarian Hero” by The Humane Society of the United States/Pennsylvania.
A native of Coatesville, Pa., LaMar has also worked as a broadcast news anchor, sports play-by-play announcer and manager.
Ambulances are parked outside of Wyckoff Hospital in the Brooklyn, N.Y., on April 4. A study published by the CDC finds that people in the United States under the age of 18 are far less likely to fall ill with COVID-19 or require intensive care, compared with older Americans.
Nearly a quarter of Pennsylvania’s Emergency Medical Services shut down between 2012 and 2018 due to a lack of funding and not enough emergency service technicians, paramedics or volunteers to staff ambulances. That was before the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, emergency responders face exposure to patients infected by the virus and risking their own health, as well as money being even tighter.
The pandemic has made a looming crisis even worse.
Where they are paid, paramedics and EMTs earn an average of $34,000 annually. In Pennsylvania’s more rural areas, ambulances are often staffed by volunteers. There are fewer of them than just a few years ago.
Ambulances count on reimbursements from private insurers, Medicaid and Medicare as well as contributions from the public. Often, the reimbursements go directly to the patient and don’t make it to the EMS.
Also, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation has instituted several changes in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent limitations. Included are the closings of the state’s driver license centers, extending expiration dates for licenses, registrations and inspections and restricting construction to emergency needs.