In one way or another it can be said that all politics are local. That means that whether engaging with county, state, or federal elected officials, members of BCFPE are ensuring those conversations provide tangible benefits for Baltimore county employees. The union took a trip to Capitol Hill to meet with legislators about bills that would reclassify 9-1-1 operators. The legislation pending at the federal level already has the support of Maryland Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen, so members focused their visits on Pennsylvania Senators Pat Toomey and Bob Casey (BCFPE has members who are residents of Pennsylvania).
Senator Casey’s staff was engaging and thoughtful. They asked questions to get information from the experience and expertise of 9-1-1 operators. They were attentive and interested in getting as much information to pass on to the Senator as they could. The delegation from BCFPE stopped in to Sen. Toomey’s office and left reading material with the staffer who greeted them. The Senate version of the Supporting Accurate Views of Emergency Services (911 SAVES) Act has bi-partisan support, and the union hopes that will carry the bill to passage. While on the Hill, the union also met Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia.
2019-06-11
