On April 30, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation voted to advance the bipartisan Enhancing First Response Act (S.725) to the full Senate for consideration. This bill, among other provisions, would direct the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to reclassify public safety telecommunicators as a “Protective Service Occupation” in the Standard Occupational Classifications (SOC) catalog. Currently, public safety telecommunicators are classified as administrative/clerical occupations. Mel Maier, Chief Executive Officer and executive director of APCO International, applauded the committee’s vote and called for swift action to get the bill across the finish line: “The committee’s vote marks an important step forward. We urge the full Senate as well as the House of Representatives to act quickly to grant public safety telecommunicators the recognition they deserve.”
