A5607

An Act concerning 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 groups that employ two or more first responders, whether on a paid or volunteer basis, for dispatch to emergency scenes.

“Protective mask” means an N95 face mask and respirator capable of protecting a person from exposure to hazardous materials that may be released in the event of a military or terrorist attack on this State or any other event where protective masks are necessary to protect first responders from inhaling air pollutants or toxic gases.

b. Within 180 days of the effective date of this act, the director, in consultation with the New Jersey Office of Emergency Management county coordinators shall stockpile a sufficient quantity of protective masks to distribute to first responders as needed in the event of a military or terrorist attack or any other event that would require protective masks to protect from inhaling air pollutants and toxic gases. In creating this stockpile, the director also shall 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 the county. The director shall establish a central depository for the storage of protective masks and create and implement a system for the maintenance and periodic replacement of protective masks, as necessary to maintain a supply of properly functioning protective masks. In addition, the director shall establish a plan for deploying the protective masks to first responders throughout the State as the need arises.

c. 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 create a stockpile of protective masks to be used by first responders in the event of a military or terrorist attack or any other event, such as wildfires, where protective masks are necessary to protect first responders from inhaling air pollutants and toxic gases.

Within 180 days of the effective date of this bill, the director is required to stockpile a sufficient quantity of protective masks to distribute to first responders as necessary in the event of a military or terrorist attack or other event in this State. The bill requires the director to consult with 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 the county when creating the stockpile.

In addition, the director is required to establish a central depository for the storage of protective masks; create and implement a system for the maintenance and periodic replacement of protective masks, as necessary to maintain a supply of properly functioning protective masks; and create a plan for deploying protective masks to first responders throughout the State as needed.

The sponsor notes that when the COVID-19 pandemic began, first responders were not properly supplied with the necessary personal protective equipment to allow them to safely aid those in need of assistance. Given the current conflict between Russia and Ukraine, it is the sponsor’s intent to have a plan in place prior to a possible military or terrorist attack. In addition, the sponsor recognizes that climate change is impacting forests across the entire continent and that the frequency and severity of wildfires and resulting smoke will likely increase throughout the entire United States, including the mid-Atlantic region, due to drought, pests, disease, and rising temperatures. Gas masks and N95 face masks will help protect first responders from inhaling air pollutants and toxic gases. In an emergency, first responders are the first to arrive and provide aid; therefore, they should be afforded the appropriate level of protective equipment to ensure that they can do their job effectively and safely.