Former Westmoreland Coroner Ken Bacha hired as chief operations officer at Mutual Aid

Kenneth Bacha, who served as Westmoreland County’s coroner for 20 years until he was defeated in the 2021 election, has taken a new job with Mutual Aid Ambulance Service Inc. as its chief operations officer.

Bacha, 60, of Greensburg, began his new job last week.

“I’m really excited about it. I feel like I was made for this job,” Bacha said Tuesday.

Mutual Aid’s Chief Executive Officer Douglas DeForrest said he is “thrilled” that Bacha has joined the ambulance service team.

Mutual Aid operational heads will report to Bacha and allow DeForrest to focus on developing and implementing the corporation’s strategic mission, DeForrest said.

“His background and expertise throughout the community and hands-on knowledge will definitely be an asset to us,” DeForrest said.

DeForrest also cited Bacha’s leadership skills heading the coroner’s office for 20 years after his election in 2001, plus his “deep roots” in public safety as a Greensburg volunteer fireman, emergency medical technician and member of both the Westmoreland County Hazmat Team and the Westmoreland County Team 211 Rough Terrain Support Unit.

Bacha, a Democrat from Greensburg, lost his bid for a sixth four-year-term last November to Republican challenger Tim Carson.

Bacha said that he sees his post as acting as a liaison, often in the field, between the ambulance service and community leaders, firefighters, legislators and the media.

Bacha is married with two daughters, a stepdaughter and a granddaughter.

Mutual Aid, based in Greensburg, provides ambulance services to nearly 200,000 residents across two-thirds of Westmoreland County and in parts of Fayette and Somerset counties.