BILL NUMBER: S6555A
SPONSOR: JACKSON
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the retirement and social security law, in relation to
providing a heart disease presumption for certain members employed as
fire alarm dispatchers
 
PURPOSE:
Provides a heart disease presumption for certain members employed as
fire alarm dispatchers in the City of New York.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 amends the retirement and social security law by adding a new
section 607-m to provide that any heart disease that impairs the health
of a New York City fire alarm dispatcher is presumptive evidence that
the illness was acquired during the performance and discharge of their
duties. It would also provide that a fire alarm dispatcher, supervising
fire alarm dispatcher level one or supervising fire alarm dispatcher
level two member of a fire department in a city with a population of one
million or more retiring pursuant to the provisions of subdivision one
of this section shall receive a pension equal to three-fourths of such
member's final average salary.
Section 2 provides that all past service costs associated with imple-
menting the provisions of this act shall be borne by the city of New
York.
Section 3 provides that none of the provisions of this act shall be
subject to the appropriation requirement of section 25 of the retirement
and social security law.
Section 4 provides that the act shall take effect immediately.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
The inherent nature of emergency calls places many first responders at
risk of harm, injury, or death. While emergency dispatchers don't
directly get involved at the scene of an emergency, they are exposed to
many of the same mental and emotional traumas that first responders
experience first-hand. As a result, emergency dispatchers are at a
strong risk for occupational stress. Chronic stress on the job often
causes mental health issues like anxiety, depression, heart disease, and
PTSD. In addition to working at a high-stress job, emergency dispatchers
have a sedentary position at work, where they must sit for the entire
shift. For many dispatchers, the combination of high stress, unhealthy
eating habits, and a sedentary lifestyle are a recipe for obesity, heart
problems, depression, and other health problems. The 24/7 nature of
emergency dispatching means that emergency responders have non-standard
schedules.They are often subject to rotating shifts and mandatory over-
time to make sure that the emergency call center is appropriately
staffed at all times. Not having a regular work schedule causes emergen-
cy dispatchers to have enough breaks in their sleep routines that it
becomes difficult to get to sleep. Sporadic sleep schedules throw the
body's natural body rhythms off. Irregular sleep and eating habits can
also cause metabolic syndrome. A combined set of conditions including
high blood pressure, increased blood sugar, abnormal cholesterol or
triglyceride levels, and body fat around the waist causes metabolic
syndrome. The disorder increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, and
diabetes. Being an Emergency Dispatcher is difficult for a multitude of
reasons. Firstly, the job is incredibly intense and stressful; at any
moment you could answer the phone to a panicked caller and alter the
course of their lives depending on your actions. Emergency dispatchers
are taught to control their emotions when taking a call, which can
heighten physical stress. Even though the dispatcher may not physically
be on the spot of the incident does not mean that they are not affected
or experience trauma. For the first responders who spoke to a person for
the last few minutes of their life as they're trapped in a fire, the
trauma and stress on their bodies are very real.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2026: S6555 - Referred to civil service and pensions
2025: S6555 - Referred to civil service and pensions / A7333- Referred
to governmental employees
 
STATE AND LOCAL FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
See fiscal note.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.