FRANKFORT, Ky. — First responders have a tough job, and they were made even tougher the past year and a half due to the coronavirus.
What You Need To Know
- Groups representing first responders, police officers and firefighters testified in Frankfort Wednesday
- The discussion centered on how COVID-19 impacted various departments
- Many departments reported crews were burned out, and many left due to risks involved with the virus
- Many law enforcement agencies were already short-staffed and dealing with low wages
“When the pandemic hit, every single run that we made became a life-threatening situation,” said John Beatsch, president of the Kentucky Firefighters Association.
Beatsch said keeping staff around was difficult, especially for volunteer fire departments – which make up about 80% of the departments in Kentucky.
“Many volunteers left their fire department because of the situation. They just didn’t want to have to deal with it,” he said. “They didn’t want to take the possibility of being quarantined and having to lose work from their actual job.”
Multiple groups testified in front of state lawmakers Wednesday, speaking about how COVID-19 impacted firefighters, police officers and other first responders.
Aside from just dealing with the virus, they also had to deal with protests over social justice.
Ryan Straw with the Kentucky Fraternal Order of Police said departments are doing what they can.
“I’ll say this: it’s just as important to listen to them and find common ground,” Straw said. “I’m really proud that our organization this year has taken that and we’ve transitioned towards it. Law enforcement has nothing to hide. We’re sworn to protect and serve and that is what we do and we do it well.”
Every group that testified in Frankfort faces a couple of key issues moving forward: they don’t have enough staff to adequately respond to calls they receive, and they don’t have enough money to pay the staff they have.
State Rep. and retired Kentucky State Police trooper John Blanton (R-Salyersville) said KSP is paid especially poorly.
“We always had an adage: ‘We do more with less.’ That was what was always expected of us at KSP,” Blanton said. “But folks, they can’t do anymore. We have cut them to the bone.”
One solution to the problem could be to use the state’s record budget surplus and pay off pension debt for police officers, allowing departments to free up money for other expenses or even raises.
“We need to get you back to full force and we need to help you retain and recruit quality individuals to serve,” said Sen. Jimmy Higdon (R-Lebanon).
Several lawmakers promised to keep looking for ways to help first responders when the next session starts in January.