Authorizing the Committee on Public Safety to hold a hearing to examine whether death by suicide for first responders should be considered as occurring in the line of duty, and to explore mental health initiatives aimed at preventing suicide and supporting the overall well-being of first responders.

Authorizing the Committee on Public Safety to hold a hearing to examine whether death by suicide for first responders should be considered as occurring in the line of duty, and to explore mental health initiatives aimed at preventing suicide and supporting the overall well-being of first responders. WHEREAS, Every day, public safety officers, including police officers, firefighters, and emergency medical personnel (“first responders”), work tirelessly to maintain the safety and well-being of the citizens of Philadelphia; and WHEREAS, In the course of their duties, first responders routinely encounter highly stressful, dangerous, and traumatic situations, often placing their own lives at risk; and WHEREAS, These experiences not only expose first responders to physical danger, but also place them at an elevated risk for mental health challenges, including post-traumatic stress disorder; and WHEREAS, First responders face significant job-related stressors that have been linked to increased rates of mental health disorders, including depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation; and WHEREAS, In Philadelphia, when a first responder is determined to have died in the line of duty, their surviving family members may receive financial and other benefits to help ease the burden of the loss; and WHEREAS, Recognizing suicide as a possible consequence of the intense psychological toll of performing first responder duties, and classifying these deaths as occurring in the line of duty, would …