Hilltown Township advanced about $38,000 to Chal-Brit Regional EMS to cover a cardiac-monitor payment and agreed to fund an independent accounting firm that will determine whether the ambulance service can survive long-term, according to a township announcement published Monday, Aug. 10.
The money came from Chal-Brit's existing annual allocation from Hilltown, paid out early rather than as new emergency funding. The equipment at issue is a $38,500 LifePak 35 cardiac monitor that was due in June.
The move comes as Chalfont Borough and New Britain Borough have both dropped Chal-Brit as their primary EMS provider, switching to Central Bucks EMS. New Britain Township, which generates nearly 1,000 emergency responses annually from Chal-Brit's Chalfont station, remains the service's largest municipal partner.
What the reviews will show
Hilltown also agreed to pay for an independent accounting firm selected by Chal-Brit to help the agency transition its accounting system and produce reliable financial data for municipal officials. The firm, New Britain-based Jebran & Abraham, was hired to migrate records from an older desktop version of QuickBooks and generate comprehensive reports for participating municipalities.
Chal-Brit Chief of Operations Cliff Mungavin said in a July 28 interview that the accounting firm's review was expected to be completed by Thursday, Aug. 20. A separate annual audit by DunlapSLK is also underway with an expanded scope, at an additional cost of about $5,000. That report is expected to include an opinion on whether Chal-Brit can continue operating.
Hilltown supervisors said they will review the accountants' findings and evaluate the long-term sustainability of EMS providers serving the region before considering any further action.
Why it matters for New Britain Township
New Britain Township Manager Nick Valla told supervisors at the township's Aug. 4 meeting that no change to the ambulance provider was under consideration. "We wanted to make this a discussion item and especially assure the public that this is an issue that we are paying very careful attention to," Valla said at that meeting.
But the financial picture remains fragile.
IRS filings show Chal-Brit's cash reserves fell roughly 45% in 2024, dropping from about $754,000 to about $412,000. Expenses surged 57% in a single year, and the organization finished 2024 with a surplus of just $6,734.
Chal-Brit's bank, First National Bank and Trust Company of Newtown, froze the organization's $300,000 line of credit after publicity surrounding an emergency funding request earlier this year. Hilltown faced the largest share of that request at more than $108,000, based on call volume. New Britain Township was asked for $104,013.
For 2027, Chal-Brit is considering asking municipalities to increase their dedicated EMS tax contribution. The half-mill rate has not changed since 2008.
What's next
The accounting firm's review is expected around Thursday, Aug. 20. New Britain Township's 20-year lease for EMS Station 134, which sits on township-owned land, expires next year, making renewal discussions necessary within the next 12 months. Chal-Brit's board was expected to discuss bylaw amendments at its Thursday, Aug. 20 meeting to address board seats assigned to departing municipalities.
