A new piece of Indiana legislation seeks to expand the definition of “first responder” to include public safety workers as well as 911 call-takers and dispatchers.
Indiana House Bill 1198 is a bipartisan proposal with support from five Republican sponsors and three Democrat sponsors. The bill passed the Indiana State House in January 2020 and the Senate in February. and has been signed by the Speaker of the House as well as the President of the Senate. As of March 18, 2020, it stands as an enrolled act, meaning it has been sent to Gov. Eric Holcomb for approval. The act would go into effect in July of this year.
“The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.”Defining ‘first responder’
“Public safety matters,” the Indiana bill states. It seeks to update the definition of first responder in Indiana to include those who are employed or volunteer as:
- Law enforcement officers.
- Corrections officers.
- Firefighters.
- Emergency medical service providers.
- Emergency management service providers.
- Public safety telecommunicators.
- “Any other individuals whose duties in serving a public safety agency include rapid emergency response.”
Currently, there is no formal definition of “first responder” at the federal level, although the phrase is often used by government leaders and advocates of the first responder community.
However, the synonymous term “emergency response provider” is defined in 6 U.S.C. 101(6) as “Federal, State, and local governmental and nongovernmental emergency public safety, fire, law enforcement, emergency response, emergency medical (including hospital emergency facilities) and related personnel, agencies and authorities.”
Increasing access to support resources
The Indiana bill seeks to clarify who these “related personnel” are. This not only honors the efforts of these unsung heroes but will make first responder support resources available to those who may need them.
“It is not just police, fire and EMS that have that connection with the people.” Ed Ward, Chief of Wabash Township Fire, said in a local news interview with WLFI. He added that the network of emergency response workers is more expansive than what has been acknowledged in the past.
Although Ward noted that it may be seen as just “an administrative law change,” he believes that “getting this bill passed is a huge step for Indiana” — and those working in the occupations soon to be designated as first responders.
“Some of those folks are incredibly impacted by that job,” Ward added, suggesting the mental health consequences of the high-stress dispatcher and public safety officer occupations.
At present, 911 call-takers and dispatchers are identified as “office and administrative support” workers, but this new legislation recognizes that their job responsibilities are not like other office and admin jobs.
Individuals in these roles may soon be eligible for benefits that have been restricted to law enforcement officers and other colleagues working on the front lines.
“They’ve never really thought that dispatchers would get PTSD,” Rob McMullen of Knox County Dispatch explained in an interview with 44News. “But [if] you figure in the dispatch community, they don’t really have a lot of people to talk to.”
Both Ward and McMullen believe this piece of legislation points to changes at the federal level. “It’s just the first step in getting classified federally,” McMullen said, where these hardworking emergency professionals “[may] be able to get some different benefits.”
First responders are often eligible for financial assistance programs, retirement funds, mental resources and support for surviving family members.
