McDougle Extends Coverage for

Emergency Services Employees and First Responders

 

 – Delegate McDougle Introduces a Public Safety Bill at the Request of New Kent County –

 

RICHMOND – Recognizing the need for health benefits for New Kent public safety employees, Delegate Ryan McDougle introduced legislation to extend benefits under the Line of Duty Act to emergency management and public safety workers. 

 

“This bill will extend coverage under the Line of Duty Act to emergency management employees.  When I was approached about carrying this legislation, I immediately knew we needed to address this oversight in the law,” said McDougle. 

 

The Line of Duty Act provides benefits to police officers, firefighters, rescue squad workers and other public safety officers in the event they become disabled as a result of performing their duty.  Working together with Larry Gallaher, Director of the Public Safety Department of New Kent, Delegate McDougle was able to draft the needed changes to the current statue through House Bill 1684.  The bill extends coverage in the Line of Duty Act to any employee of the Department of Emergency Management or any employee of any county, city or town performing emergency management or emergency services duties.  These emergency services employees routinely perform their duties in harm’s way during emergency incidents and will now be covered under this law if they are hurt or killed in the line of duty. 

 

McDougle’s bill passed the House of Delegates on January 22^nd and has been referred to the Senate General Laws Committee.

 

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