Through the leadership of Senator Harckham and Assembly member Burdick, we held a press conference today about the Mental Health of First Responders. Steuben County Sheriff James Allard, Eugene Perry, President of the Firefighters Association and Aidan O’Conner, Board Member NYS Ambulance and Rescue Association, all spoke eloquently about the traumatic mental health impact faced by First Responders. This legislation is similar to the impactful Joseph Dwyer Veteran Peer to Peer Program. First Responders need to have their own lifeline. As Sheriff Allard said, ‘The bill is a life line for those who put themselves on the line every day.’
