10 signatures reached
To: State Representative Kaylee Tuck - [email protected], Represents District 83 State Senator Erin Grall - [email protected] , Represents District 29
It’s Time: Classify 911 Telecommunicators as First Responders
The Voices That Save Lives Deserve to Be Called First Responders
We respectfully request the following:
- Amend Florida Statute 112.1815 to include Public Safety Telecommunicators in the definition of “first responder”
- Provide access to mental health and PTSD-related benefits without the requirement of a physical injury
- Ensure equitable consideration for retirement, workers’ compensation, and disability protections
- Recognize the critical and essential role Telecommunicators play in the public safety system
Petition Story:
When you dial 911, you don’t see their faces — but you hear their voices.
A calm, steady tone guiding you through CPR as your loved one struggles to breathe.
A reassuring voice telling you help is on the way while you hide from danger.
A lifeline in the darkest, most terrifying moments of your life.
These are Florida’s 911 telecommunicators.
They are the first to respond when tragedy strikes — yet in the eyes of Florida law, they are not considered first responders.
That means they often don’t get the same mental health support, benefits, or recognition as the police officers, firefighters, and paramedics they work alongside. But the truth is, they carry the same weight of trauma. They hear the screams, the silence, the last words. And then they pick up the next call.
We can change this.
By reclassifying 911 telecommunicators as first responders, we can give them the respect, resources, and protections they deserve. Other states have already taken this step — Florida should be next.
They’ve been there for us every single time we’ve called for help.
Now it’s our turn to answer their call.
Sign this petition to tell Florida lawmakers:
It’s time to recognize 911 telecommunicators as first responders.
Why is this important?
We, the undersigned, respectfully urge the State of Florida to formally recognize 911 Public Safety Telecommunicators as First Responders under Florida law.
911 Telecommunicators are the first point of contact in emergencies. They provide life-saving instructions, coordinate critical resources, and support law enforcement, fire, and EMS personnel during some of the most traumatic and high-risk situations imaginable. While they may not be physically present on scene, they are mentally and emotionally present in every crisis, often experiencing the same traumatic events through real-time audio.
Despite this, 911 Telecommunicators are currently classified as clerical personnel and are not afforded the same recognition or protections as other first responders.