On the recordMay 12, 2015
As we vote on H.R. 2146 in the House today, I would like to share with you the dire reality facing our brave first responders who put their lives on the line for the safety of the American people. The health-related risks associated with the work of our first responders, though rarely considered by the average American, are largely due to stress and overexertion. The United States Fire Administration (USFA) tracks the number of first responder fatalities each year and has provided valuable analysis for nearly four decades. The data shows that over the course of the past 10 years, 757 first responders in the United States have suffered from heart-related fatalities; including heart attacks, due to the extremely stressful nature of their work. While firefighting can be an incredibly rewarding profession for a first responder--make no mistake--it is also one of the deadliest. High rates of cancer and heart attacks plague our public safety defenders. Under our current law, first responders can retire at the age of 50, as long as they have completed 20 years of service. Those 20 years are consumed by immediate midnight response calls, the physical toll of carrying heavy equipment, ventilating smoke-filled areas, salvaging building contents, rescuing victims and administering emergency medical care. H.R.…
