HB586

It is extremely important that we recognize the contributions our public schools make to our community and show that support by increasing the per pupil cost from $4100 to $7356. This is long overdue.

It is extremely important that we recognize the contributions our public schools make to our community and show that support by increasing the per pupil cost from $4100 to $7356. This is long overdue.

It is extremely important that we recognize the contributions our public schools make to our community and show that support by increasing the per pupil cost from $4100 to $7356. This is long overdue.

As a 28 year veteran of the Fire and Rescue Services, I wish to offer my full support of HB 586. We choose this career with an overwhelming desire to help those in dire need, but sometimes there is nothing we can do to save the lives of young and innocent children. Specifics are too gruesome to share and sometimes the victims are the same age as our own children. My experience is that virtually everyone who has responded to emergency calls for a decade or more has at least one call that haunts them. I was fortunate to work for a town that provided an Employee Assistance Program, not all small communities realize the need until one of their own has taken the plunge off the deep end. The suicide rate for Police and Firefighters is over 50% higher than the general population. The Suicide Prevention Resource Center at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, supported by a grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) found that Police and Firefighters are more like to die by suicide than a Line of Duty Death, including heart attacks. The severe depression rate is twice that of the general population. Families are destroyed... alcohol abuse touches too many of our ranks and communities lose valuable first responders. Small communities need the ability to take care of those who protect the families in their small community... where everyone one knows each other. Please vote yes on HB 586 Mike Hoffman, Captain, Ret. Durham Fire Department

To Whom it may concern: As the Captain for the Durham Police Department, I fully support House Bill 586-FN. This bill will surely give first responders the opportunity to participate in an employee assistance program (EAP). I fortunately work in a town where funding is available to assist with officers getting the assistance they need. However, I know this is not the case in many New Hampshire communities. Simply put, I cannot imagine being a first responder without an EAP program in place. Furthermore, our EAP is 100% anonymous, which I believe takes the stigma out of a first responder seeking help. Thank you for considering the adoption of this bill. Jack Dalton

Dear Honorable Members of the Committee, This is an import resource that should be made available to our small departments. Thank you for your time and consideration. Sincerely, Rick Sawyer Bedford Town Manager

To Whom it may concern. As the Deputy Chief for the Durham, NH Police Department, I support HB 586-FN as a first step in ensuring that all first responders in the State of New Hampshire are provided the opportunity to participate in an employee assistance program (EAP). Admittedly I am not educated on how the funding for such programs work, and I am fortunate to work in a community where the funding has not been an impediment to our officers getting the help they need, Unfortunately, that does not appear to be the case across the board and that is unfathomable in this day and age. Over my 36 years of service, I have witnessed and heard the stories of first responders that did not receive the help they so desperately needed, and I would argue that cost should not be a barrier. I would go even further and argue that it should be mandated that all first responders not only should be provided a fully funded opportunity to seek EAP services, but those services should also remain anonymous in every case and the providing community should only be aware that the employee participated. Thank you for efforts and taking the time to consider the adoption of this bill.

This bill is necessary for Towns that do not properly offer this program to their first responders. It should be a State wide system offered to all First Responders no matter what community they work in.

Dear Honorable Members of the Committee, The Town of Lee is supportive of HB 586, establishing an employee assistance program for small town first responders. Small communities in NH have limited resources and it is important there are programs available for all communities to assist with issues such as post-traumatic stress for fire, police, EMS, dispatch, and DPW staff involved in critical events. Municipal staff provide support to citizens concerning the most traumatic life events imaginable such as health emergencies, domestic disturbances, fire loss, serious motor vehicle accidents, murder, shootings, etc. and should be appropriately supported concerning their mental health and well-being. This bill will ensure first responders in small communities receive the support they may require. Best, Andy R. Andrew Robertson, Town Administrator Town of Lee, NH 603-659-5414 ext. 312 townadministrator@leenh.org

Dear Honorable Members of the Committee, The Town of Durham is supportive of HB 586, establishing an employee assistance program for small town first responders. Small communities in NH have limited resources and it is important there are programs available for all communities to assist with issues such as post traumatic stress for fire, police, EMS, dispatch, and DPW staff involved in critical events. Municipal staff provide support to citizens concerning the most traumatic life events imaginable such as health emergencies, domestic disturbances, fire loss, serious motor vehicle accidents, murder, shootings, etc. and should be appropriately supported concerning their mental health and well-being. This bill will ensure first responders in small communities receive the support they may require. Todd Todd I. Selig, Administrator Town of Durham, NH a: 8 Newmarket Road, Durham, NH 03824 USA t: 603.868.5571 | m: 603.817.0720 w: www.ci.durham.nh.us