U.S. Senate Passes Bill to Recognize 9-1-1 as a Public Safety Occupation
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On September 10, the Senate approved the Enhancing First Response Act (S.725), a bill supported by NENA: The 9-1-1 Association, which would direct the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to reclassify Public Safety Telecommunicators as a "Protective Service Occupation" in the federal Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system.
Currently, 9-1-1 professionals are classified as "Office and Administrative Support," a designation that fails to reflect the highly specialized, lifesaving work they perform daily alongside other first responders. This no-cost, bipartisan legislation would correct this outdated classification, ensuring that 9-1-1 professionals receive the respect and recognition they deserve.
"Every day, 9-1-1 professionals are the first first responders in thousands of emergencies," said NENA CEO John Provenzano. "Reclassifying Public Safety Telecommunicators as Protective Service Occupations is a long-overdue correction that recognizes their indispensable role in public safety."
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