New Members
PEPPERELL, MA - State Representative Margaret Scarsdale (D-Pepperell) joined Senator Cronin, area Fire Chiefs, and elected officials from the Nashoba Valley region to celebrate the $5M in emergency funding for the region’s fire and EMS departments with Governor Maura Healey. The funding, which is intended to address the catastrophic impact caused by the closure of Nashoba Valley Medical Center on August 31, 2024, was passed overwhelmingly by the House on July 31.
“Our Fire Chiefs raised the alarm a year ago, and I took action immediately. As co-Chair of the Governor’s Hospital Working Group, we set two main goals: Addressing the financial hit that devastated our area’s EMS departments, and the restoration of emergency services to this area. We have been successful on both fronts, and I am proud to have led these efforts. Thank you to the Governor for recognizing and responding to this challenge; my co-chair, Robert Pontbriand, Ayer Town Manager; House Speaker Mariano, Senate President Spilka; Senators Cronin, Kennedy, and Eldridge; and Representatives Arciero, Higgins, Kushmerek, and Sena for their leadership and partnership.”
“This investment is a significant step to give our region’s Fire and EMS the tools they need to keep us safe,” said Senator Cronin. “I’m grateful to Governor Healey, Representative Scarsdale and the Nashoba delegation, and our region’s fire chiefs and EMS workers for their advocacy to secure this funding to ensure that residents across North Central have access to emergency care.”
The $5 million allocation comes nearly a year after the abrupt closure of Nashoba Valley Medical Center left thousands of residents across North Central Massachusetts in a healthcare desert with reduced access to medical care. In the months since, fire departments have faced inflated overtime costs and call volumes, longer patient transport times, and increased mental and physical strain on staff and equipment. In neighboring hospitals, nurses, doctors, and staff worked heroically to absorb the overflow of patients arriving from the Nashoba Valley area.
Representative Scarsdale has played a lead role in regional and statewide efforts to address the fallout following the hospital’s closure, including being named Co-Chair of the Nashoba Valley Emergency, Outpatient, and Health Services Working Group, established by Governor Maura Healey. Through this partnership, Scarsdale and local leaders helped secure a long-term solution to the region’s healthcare crisis in UMass Memorial’s recent commitment to operate a standalone emergency facility in Groton, slated to open in late 2026. This funding is a welcome relief for already cash-strapped towns to support their first responders in the interim.
