4-30-21 emergency responder compensation bill

The Fond du Lac Fire Chief says he supports a bill signed by Governor Tony Evers that makes it easier for emergency responders suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder to file worker’s compensation claims.  Under the bill, responders diagnosed with PTSD by a psychiatrist or psychologist need only show they’re suffering from a preponderance of the evidence.  Fire chief Pete O’Leary says mental fitness and mental illness for a lot of years were ignored and PTSD was something you heard about for those in the military.  The bill guarantees up to 32 weeks of compensation and allows responders to make only three such claims in his or her lifetime.