Fire Rescue News- FIRST RESPONDERS BILL
ATLANTIC COUNTY--Two years ago several 911 calls were made from a home in California, but when emergency services received no answer they left, causing the woman inside to die. Now her sister, a Mays Landing native, is fighting for her cause one state at a time.
On Thursday legislation was passed for an immunity bill, allowing first responders to.......Continue Reading
enter a home when a 911call is placed.
"It just started in the legislative process, and my goal would be for the Governor to have it signed into law in the state of New Jersey by the end of June," said Assemblyman John Amodeo, of the 2nd District.
This is just one step of many in getting the First Responders bill passed in the state of New Jersey. Jennifer Alden took the first step in contacting the Assemblymen after the death of her younger sister almost two years ago.
"That is what led me to write a letter to ask New Jersey citizens that if somebody should be hurt to let someone come into the house and help them," said Jennifer Alden.
But that is not the case. When a 911 call is placed, first responders arrive at the scene, but without an answer at the door, or hearing permission, responders are not legally allowed to enter.
"She kept calling, but she could not say come into the house and she passed away at 6:00 that night," said Alden.
This was the story of Jaclyn Alden. After calling 911 several times, she was found dead after the EMT's were unable to legally enter her home.
"I lost my sister my children lost their aunt, and we lost a whole family member, based on the cost of a door its just not that important," says Alden.
Jennifer spearheaded the First Responder's bill after her mother had success in doing so in West Virginia; now New Jersey is just one more state they hope to add to their goal of all 50 states to have Civil Immunity laws.
"It's already passed in West Virginia, it's already passed in Tennessee, we have people in California working on it, I have friends in Maryland working on it and in Pennsylvania as well. We are hoping to go nationwide," says Alden.
From here, the bill will head to a committee hearing in the senate for an assembly vote, and then it can head to Governor Chris Christie's desk. If passed and signed into law in June, the first responder's bill would take effect immediately.
