2023 Senate Concurrent Resolution 8

Whereas, Public safety telecommunicators are an integral part of the emergency response system. They play a crucial and life-saving role by answering and prioritizing calls for police, fire, and medical professionals, providing essential medical instructions to callers, and coordinating the dispatch of emergency personnel. Public safety telecommunicators possess a unique set of skills, including the abilities to manage high levels of stress, to communicate clearly and calmly in high-pressure, life-and-death situations, and to multitask effectively at an extreme level to facilitate efficient responses to emergencies and provide essential information to responders; and

Whereas, There are approximately 2,200 highly skilled public safety telecommunicators in Michigan serving a population of approximately 10 million. These public servants process an average of 6.4 million emergency calls and texts annually, demonstrating the critical nature of their work in ensuring the safety and security of our communities. Public safety telecommunicators are often the first point of contact between the public and emergency services during a crisis, and their ability to accurately assess and respond to emergency situations is essential in ensuring the safety and well-being of all involved; and

Whereas, The Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system is part of the United States federal statistical system coordinated by the United States Office of Management and Budget. The SOC is used by federal agencies to classify workers and jobs into occupational categories for the purpose of collecting, calculating, analyzing, and disseminating data. Occupations in the SOC are classified based on the work performed and, in some cases, on the skills, education, or training needed to perform the work; and

Whereas, Public safety telecommunicators are not currently classified in a way that adequately reflects the crucial work and modern skills of these highly valued members of the first responder community. Public safety communicators are currently classified as an office and administrative support occupation, alongside dispatchers for taxicabs, tow trucks, or trains, rather than a protective service occupation, which includes employees such as police officers, firefighters, lifeguards, crossing guards, and school bus monitors. Classifying public safety telecommunicators as a protective service occupation would correct an inaccurate representation in the SOC, recognize these professionals for the lifesaving work they perform, and reinforce efforts at the state level to properly classify, support, and train these vital employees; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), That we urge the United States Congress to address the misclassification of public safety telecommunicators as an office and administrative support occupation, rather than categorizing them with other first responders, to ensure that the scope of their work is properly valued and to underscore the importance of providing them with adequate resources to navigate their occupational hazards; and be it further

Resolved, That we urge the United States Congress to require the United States Office of Management and Budget to categorize public safety telecommunicators as a protective service occupation under the Standard Occupational Classification system; and be it further

Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the President of the United States Senate, and the members of the Michigan congressional delegation.