NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- Gov. Kathy Hochul signed legislation on the 20th anniversary of 9/11 officially extending “first responder” status to all 911 operators and dispatchers across New York.
The law allows dispatchers and operators to have the same designation as firefighters and police officers, granting them access to WTC benefits. The legislation also aims to make it easier for all first responders to access such benefits, by allowing online submissions for such statuses.
"As we mark the 20th anniversary of a day that touched the lives of every single New Yorker, we remember those we lost and honor those who are with us today who participated in the World Trade Center rescue, recovery, and cleanup," Governor Hochul said in a statement.
"These laws will help not only first responders who were at the World Trade Center on that terrible day and those who cleaned the site for weeks afterward, but also the emergency dispatchers and communications personnel who keep us safe today," she added.
New York unions have been behind efforts for the designation for several years, as it would give the workers greater access to different kinds of financial support.
The bill passed in the state’s Legislature earlier in the summer in a unanimous vote.
"Emergency Operators and Dispatchers are undoubtedly the first responders of first responders, serving at the center of emergency events, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week," said Suffolk AME President Daniel Levler in a statement. "These essential workers exercise quick-thinking, counseling, and guidance that frequently makes the critical difference between life and death before help arrives."