Emergency 911 Dispatchers (Public Safety Telecommunicators) are considered essential employees but NOT First Responders. We like many others cannot quarantine, cannot always shelter at home. We must return to our jobs day after day and answer the call, putting ourselves and our families at risk in order to help others.

According to NENA (The National Emergency Number Association), as of July 2018 the United States had a reported 5,748 primary and secondary PSAP's and 3,135 counties, which include parishes, independent cities, boroughs, and census areas. An estimated 240 million calls are made to 911 in the U.S. each year with approximately 100,000 dispatchers working throughout the country.

Many of these dispatchers are working in shifts of between eight and 12 hours, though some have shifts as long 24 hours. Even with a number as high as 100,000 - dispatchers are in short supply and are under extremely stressful conditions on a regular basis.

Currently Senate Democrats led by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Patty Murray of Washington State, Bob Casey of Pennsylvania, Tom Udall of New Mexico and Gary Peters of Michigan have unveiled a stimulus proposal, dubbed the 'Heroes Fund' that would boost the pay of essential workers on the frontlines of the battle of the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic by potentially tens of thousands of dollars.

The proposal would provide up to a total of $25,000 to each front-line worker — such as doctors and other health care workers, janitors, truck drivers, grocery store clerks and transit workers — from the beginning of the public health emergency through the end of this year. And at this time Democrats say they are still seeking input on which employees would be eligible for the premium pay.

We need support to make sure that 911 Public Safety Telecommunicators are included in this stimulus to receive the compensation they deserve for putting their safety on the line. Please sign the petition today and ask that Illinois Senators Duckworth and Durbin reach out to the Senate Democrats to add their state and support to this much needed proposal!