Connecticut Governor Rell Signs Two Bills to Benefit Connecticut First Responders

June 9, 2008 -- Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell today signed into law two bills designed to help keep Connecticut communities safer and to protect the first responders – police officers, firefighters and emergency medical technicians – who accept that difficult and often dangerous job.

“As I have often said, we in government – at the federal level, the state level or the local level – have no higher responsibility than to keep our people safe,” Governor Rell said. “The people on the front lines – the ones who help us meet that responsibility –put in long hours away from home and family. They train hard and they work hard, in every kind of weather and in extraordinarily dangerous conditions. We need to support them any way we can and that is what these two pieces of legislation are all about.”

The Governor signed House Bill 5646, An Act Concerning Volunteer Service by Paid Emergency Personnel or Paid Firefighters, which permits towns with paid first responders and towns with volunteer responders to allow paid personnel to serve as volunteers in the communities where they live.

“I think it speaks volumes about the commitment and dedication of individuals who would be willing to volunteer their time in such a manner,” Governor Rell said. “However, as we all know, these folks are simply the best. They are heroes and role models and they personify the whole concept of giving back to the community.”

The Governor also signed House Bill 5629, An Act Concerning Workers' Compensation Coverage for Firefighters and Police Officers. This bill establishes a rebuttable presumption for municipal firefighters, police, and constables hired after July 1, 1996, who suffer a cardiac emergency while on duty. Under the bill, such an ailment is presumed to be job-related unless a preponderance of evidence shows otherwise.

“This piece of legislation provides necessary protections for the long-term benefit of our emergency personnel and their families,” Governor Rell said. “It represents a tangible and realistic way of acknowledging their countless hours of dedication and the risks they take on a daily basis to protect all of us.”

Source: Connecticut Governor

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