·         17% of First Responders Suffer from PTSD vs. 3% of the general population

·         First Responders are more likely to die from suicide than any other means

·         First Responders are leaving the profession at record numbers due to PTSD related issues

How does the State of SC support first responders in regards to PTSD suffered because of an on the job incident?

·         If you develop PTSD from an on the job incident and you were physically injured during that incident, worker’s comp is supposed to fully compensate you for the PTSD.

·         However if you develop PTSD from an on the job incident and you were NOT physically injured during that incident, worker’s comp will NOT compensate you for your PTSD in anyway.  Unless you can prove that the incident was extreme or unusual.  Well we as first responders only deal with the extreme and unusual.  So worker’s comp can and does use that loophole to deny any claim made by a first responder.  So if you witness a child death, watch someone burn to death, have a partner killed, are forced to shoot someone, etc.  If you are not physically injured worker’s comp feels you should be able to handle it, and don’t deserve compensation.

Senate Bill S429, introduced Feb 2015 by Sen. Paul Thurmond, seeks to change the language in the law and replace extreme and unusual with, if a first responder is diagnosed with PTSD by a licensed medical professional because of an on the job incident we would be covered and compensated.

The Association of Municipalities and Counties, along with some big business lobbyists are lobbying hard against it.  To these people first responders are nothing more than a $ sign.  They forget that first responders are human beings first.  We are fathers, mothers, sons, daughters, husbands, wives, and friends before we put on our uniform.  Yes we are trained to do our jobs, but we still have feelings and emotions.  We still have emotional breaking points just like everyone else.  They would rather deny us the help we need and deserve, and would rather risk us making a mistake in the field, (because we are struggling with PTSD), that could get someone hurt.