Congress reintroduces 9-1-1 SAVES Act
Author
Brett Mattson
Seamus Dowdall
Naomi Freel
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Key Takeaways
On January 16, the 9-1-1 Supporting Accurate Views of Emergency Services (SAVES) Act was reintroduced in the U.S. House of Representatives. This legislation aims to officially reclassify 9-1-1 dispatchers as first responders, granting these professionals the recognition they deserve for their vital contributions to public safety.
9-1-1 SAVES Act
The 9-1-1 SAVES Act seeks to correct a long-standing oversight by officially reclassifying 9-1-1 dispatchers as first responders. Currently, dispatchers are excluded from this designation despite their critical role in public safety.
At no cost to taxpayers, the legislation has broad bipartisan support to highlight the indispensable contributions of dispatchers to emergency response systems.
Importance to counties
Counties play a pivotal role in managing and funding 9-1-1 operations. By elevating dispatchers to first responder status, the 9-1-1 SAVES Act is expected to improve recruitment and retention for this profession. The legislation also reinforces the broader importance of county investments in emergency communication systems and personnel.
Building on bipartisan momentum and a track record of unanimous committee support in the 118th Congress, NACo strongly supports this legislation. The 9-1-1 SAVES Act will enhance public safety systems while ensuring no additional costs for counties or their intergovernmental partners.
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