(a) Legislative findings and declarations.--The General Assembly finds and declares as follows:
(1) Our first responders, who are police, fire, emergency medical services (EMS) and public health personnel, work selflessly on behalf of the people of this Commonwealth, regardless of the risk or hazard, and truly are citizens serving the community.
(2) Most Pennsylvanians have benefited in some way from the courageous service of first responders across this Commonwealth.
(3) First responders carry out the critical role of protecting and ensuring public safety in emergency situations.
(4) The men and women who bravely serve as first responders have found themselves on the front lines of homeland defense in the war against terrorism.
(5) First responders are called upon in the event of natural disasters, such as hurricanes, tornadoes, flooding and pandemics.
(6) More than 100,000 first responders perform these crucial services in this Commonwealth.
(7) Approximately 30,000 sworn police officers from State, city and county law enforcement agencies protect lives and property, detect and prevent crimes, uphold the law and ensure justice.
(8) Tens of thousands of firefighters, including approximately 50,000 volunteers and 10,000 career firefighters, provide fire suppression, EMS, search and rescue, hazardous materials response, terrorism response and critical fire prevention and safety education.
(9) Approximately 60,000 emergency services professionals in this Commonwealth respond to and treat a variety of life-threatening emergencies, from cardiac and respiratory arrest to traumatic injuries.
(10) First responders make personal sacrifices to protect our communities, as witnessed in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, and of the natural destruction caused by Hurricanes Katrina, Irene and Sandy. They are called every day to protect individuals and property in cities and towns across this Commonwealth.
(11) Many law enforcement officers die in the line of duty in the United States each year, including nine killed in 2020 in Pennsylvania alone.
(12) More than 100 firefighters are killed in the line of duty across the United States each year and thousands more are injured.
(13) EMS answers more than 20 million patient calls every year, and many medics are injured on the job, have been assaulted by patients or have been exposed to infectious diseases.
(14) EMS personnel in the United States have a fatality rate of more than twice the national average for all other workers.
(15) Thousands of first responders have made the ultimate sacrifice.
(16) These men and women, by their dedicated professionalism, have earned our gratitude and respect.
(b) First Responders Day.--The following apply:
(1) September 27 of each year is designated as First Responders Day.
(2) The Governor shall issue annually a proclamation calling upon all public schools and educational institutions to observe First Responders Day and to conduct exercises recognizing the contributions and remembering the sacrifices that first responders have made.
(3) First Responders Day may not be a paid holiday or a day that school districts close.
Structure Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes