A4553

An Act concerning training for first responders and supplementing chapter 9 of Appendix A.

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. a. As used in this section:

“Director” means the Director of the Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness.

"Emergency medical response entity" means an organization, company, governmental entity, community-based program, or healthcare system that provides pre-hospital emergency medical services.

"Emergency medical responder" means a person, other than a health care practitioner, who is employed on a paid or volunteer basis in the area of emergency response, including, but not limited to, an emergency medical technician acting in a professional capacity.

“First responder” means a law enforcement officer, paid or volunteer firefighter, emergency medical responder, or any other person who, in the course of that person’s employment, is dispatched to the scene of an emergency for the purpose of providing assistance.

“First response entity” means an organization, company, governmental entity, community-based agency or program, or other organized group that employs two or more first responders, whether on a paid or volunteer basis, for dispatch to emergency scenes.

“War” means a state of armed hostile conflict between nations.

b. Within 180 days of the effective date of this act, the director, in consultation with the New Jersey National Guard, the Armed Forces of the United States of America, the New Jersey Office of Emergency Management county coordinators, and upon seeking input from the New Jersey Hospital Association, EMS Council of New Jersey, and other emergency medical responders and emergency medical response entities operating in any county in this State, shall develop a training program for first responders on protocols and response procedures to follow when dispatched to an emergency that is the result of an act of war. The training program shall, at a minimum, provide comprehensive training regarding what to expect when dispatched to the scene of an emergency resulting from an act of war; strategies for treating wartime injuries; hazards particular to a war zone, such as hazardous materials that may be released during a military attack or the risk of injury to the first responder due to continued attack; methods for protecting oneself against an attack and from hazardous materials that may be released during a military attack; and the psychological impact of responding to the scene of an emergency resulting from an act of war.

c. First responders shall complete this training program biannually.

d. The director shall adopt guidelines to effectuate the purposes of this section.

2. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

This bill requires the Director of the Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness to develop a training program for first responders regarding protocols for responding to an emergency in a war zone.

Within 180 days of the effective date of this bill, the director is required to develop a training program for first responders on protocols and response procedures to follow when dispatched to an emergency that is the result of an act of war. The training program is required, at a minimum, to provide comprehensive training regarding what to expect when dispatched to the scene of an emergency resulting from an act of war; strategies for treating wartime injuries; hazards particular to a war zone, such as hazardous materials that may be released during a military attack or the risk of injury due to continued attack; methods to protect against attack and exposure to hazardous materials that may be released during a military attack; and the psychological impact of responding to the scene of an emergency resulting from an act of war.

The bill requires the director to consult with the New Jersey National Guard, Armed Forces of the United States, the New Jersey Office of Emergency Management county coordinators, and seek input from the New Jersey Hospital Association, EMS Council of New Jersey, and other emergency medical responders and emergency medical response entities operating in this State.

First responders are required to complete this program biannually.

The sponsor notes that due to the events taking place in Ukraine and the growing tension between China and Taiwan, it is of the utmost importance that New Jersey’s first responders be prepared for the possibility of a military attack on this State. First responders are the first to arrive to the scene of an emergency and should receive the training necessary to protect themselves and others when dispatched to the scene of an emergency resulting from an act of war.