See other bills
under the
same topic
PRINTER'S NO. 861
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
760
Session of
2017
INTRODUCED BY MALONEY, SAYLOR, MURT, KAUFFMAN, TOEPEL, BAKER,
CORBIN, TAYLOR, FEE, PICKETT, BURNS, GREINER, NEILSON,
DiGIROLAMO, V. BROWN, BULLOCK, BENNINGHOFF, KNOWLES, DEAN,
MACKENZIE, DRISCOLL, GODSHALL, WATSON, KINSEY, CALTAGIRONE,
WARD, COX, EVERETT, TALLMAN, HANNA, O'NEILL, D. COSTA,
A. HARRIS, MOUL, SCHLOSSBERG, BIZZARRO, STURLA, STAATS,
LONGIETTI, MATZIE, GOODMAN, GILLEN, ZIMMERMAN, ORTITAY,
CONKLIN, B. MILLER, BARBIN, McCLINTON, FARRY, GABLER AND
M. QUINN, MARCH 10, 2017
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY
PREPAREDNESS, MARCH 10, 2017
AN ACT
Designating September 27 of each year as "First Responders Day."
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Short title.
This act shall be known and may be cited as the First
Responders Day Act.
Section 2. Legislative findings and declarations.
The General Assembly finds and declares as follows:
(1) Our first responders, who are police, fire,
emergency medical service and public health personnel, work
selflessly on behalf of the people of this Commonwealth,
regardless of the risk or hazard, and truly are citizens
serving the community.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
(2) Most Pennsylvanians have benefited in some way from
the courageous service of first responders across this
Commonwealth.
(3) First responders carry out the critical role of
protecting and ensuring public safety in emergency
situations.
(4) The men and women who bravely serve as first
responders have found themselves on the front lines of
homeland defense in the war against terrorism.
(5) First responders are called upon in the event of
natural disasters, such as Hurricane Sandy.
(6) Approximately 150,000 first responders perform these
crucial services in this Commonwealth.
(7) Approximately 30,000 sworn police officers from
State, city and county law enforcement agencies protect lives
and property, detect and prevent crimes, uphold the law and
ensure justice.
(8) Tens of thousands of firefighters, including
approximately 50,000 volunteers and 10,000 career
firefighters, provide fire suppression, emergency medical
services, search and rescue, hazardous materials response,
terrorism response and critical fire prevention and safety
education.
(9) Approximately 60,000 emergency services
professionals in this Commonwealth respond to and treat a
variety of life-threatening emergencies, from cardiac and
respiratory arrest to traumatic injuries.
(10) First responders make personal sacrifices to
protect our communities, as witnessed in the aftermath of the
terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, and of the natural
20170HB0760PN0861 - 2 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
destruction caused by Hurricanes Katrina, Irene and Sandy.
They are called every day to protect individuals and property
in cities and towns across this Commonwealth.
(11) Many law enforcement officers die in the line of
duty in the United States each year, including five killed in
2015 in Pennsylvania alone.
(12) Many firefighters are killed in the line of duty
across the United States each year and thousands more are
injured.
(13) Many medics are injured on the job, have been
assaulted by patients or have been exposed to infectious
diseases.
(14) Emergency medical service personnel in the United
States have a fatality rate of more than twice the national
average for all other workers.
(15) Thousands of first responders have made the
ultimate sacrifice.
(16) These men and women, by their dedicated
professionalism, have earned our gratitude and respect.
Section 3. First Responders Day.
(a) Designation.--September 27 of each year is designated as
"First Responders Day."
(b) Proclamation.--The Governor shall issue annually a
proclamation calling upon all public schools and educational
institutions to observe "First Responders Day" and to conduct
exercises recognizing the contributions and remembering the
sacrifices that first responders have made.
(c) Limitations.--"First Responders Day" may not be a paid
holiday or a day that school districts close.
Section 4. Effective date.
20170HB0760PN0861 - 3 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
This act shall take effect immediately.
20170HB0760PN0861 - 4 -
1