Stanfield, Umba and Torrissi push volunteer firefighter and EMT bill package

Proposals aim to increase volunteer recruitment and honor first responders for pandemic efforts

TRENTON – Senator Jean Stanfield, Assemblyman Brandon Umba and Assemblyman Michael Torrissi announced a three-bill package focused on attracting new volunteers to rescue squads and fire departments and providing federal stimulus money to help emergency medical technicians and firefighters.

The bills would provide all EMTs and firefighters who served enough hours with a $1,000 pandemic hazard pay bonus, allow volunteer rescue squads and fire departments to recoup money lost from missed fundraisers and create a state loan redemption program for volunteer EMTs and firefighters.

“Thousands of men and women serving as EMTs and firefighters put their lives on the line throughout the pandemic, and many of them did it in a volunteer capacity. They deserve to be acknowledged and compensated for their efforts,” Stanfield said.

“Whether it’s because of burnout or a shrinking sense of community, it’s no secret that it’s become increasingly difficult to attract volunteers. Not having enough brave men and women to fill our volunteer firefighter and EMT ranks will create a dire situation in this state,” said Umba, who is a volunteer firefighter. “We need to do everything we can to attract people back to the call of service.”

“We know much more needs to be done to support our volunteer firefighters and EMT personnel and pledge to continue to work to help them. In the meantime, let’s give them the thanks they deserve for all the sacrifices our volunteers made throughout the pandemic,” Torrissi said.

$1,000 Hazard Pay Bonus

• The first proposal would provide $1,000 hazard pay bonuses to all certified EMTs and firefighters in the state by providing a $1,000 tax credit for the 2022 tax year. The bonus would be paid for by federal stimulus money allocated to the State of New Jersey. The bonus would be available to any volunteer firefighter or emergency service personnel who satisfy the minimum requirement of participation established by the service agency on a consistent and uniform basis.

New Jersey Volunteer EMT and Firefighter Loan Redemption Program

• The second proposal would create a state loan redemption program. It would be available for anyone who has completed a degree at a 2 or 4-year New Jersey college. Volunteer certified EMTs and firefighters would have to have been a volunteer for a full year before being eligible. They would then be eligible for $2,000 in loan forgiveness for each subsequent year they volunteer for, up to three years, as long as they remain a volunteer. The loan redemption program would be funded through the New Jersey Higher Education Student Assistance Authority through a state appropriation.

Fundraiser Recoupment

• The final proposal would create a $10 million grant program that would allow nonprofit volunteer rescue squads and nonprofit volunteer fire departments to recoup any funds lost from missed fundraisers throughout the pandemic. Volunteer departments and rescue squads would have to submit accounting to the state that proves its fundraising efforts of the past five years. If a squad or department can show that prior fundraisers could not be held due to local or federal Covid restrictions, they would be eligible for a grant for the average amount that fundraiser typically earned. The grant program would be paid for by federal stimulus money allocated to the State of New Jersey.