BILL NUMBER: S6555
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 prob-
lems, 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 overtime to make sure that the emergency call center is
appropriately staffed at all times.
Not having a regular work schedule causes emergency 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 dispatcheis are taught to control their emotions when taking a
call, which can be added stresses on the body. Even though the dispatch-
er 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:
New bill.
 
STATE AND LOCAL FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
See fiscal note.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.