AFSCME Members Win Long-Overdue Recognition for 911 Dispatchers

After years of advocating for the recognition and support they deserve, the public safety telecommunicators of AFSCME are celebrating a major victory.

The Pennsylvania legislature passed House Bill 453, and we look forward to Governor Josh Shapiro signing it into law. The new law will officially recognize public safety telecommunicators as emergency responders and expand access to the Emergency Responder Mental Wellness and Stress Management program.

The recent mass shooting in Erie was a painful reminder of the need for strong emergency services. 911 telecommunicators play a critical role in times of crisis and deserve the recognition and support they need to serve their communities.

For 911 dispatchers like AFSCME Local 1485 member Barbara Bowles of York County, this victory is personal. As the first point of contact for people experiencing emergencies, dispatchers provide critical support in moments of crisis, often carrying the emotional weight of those calls long after their shifts end.

“As 911 dispatchers, we’re often the first to hear someone’s worst moment, and those calls stay with us. After York County lost four officers in the line of duty in 2025, the emotional toll of this work became especially personal for our community,” Bowles said. 

“Recognizing public safety telecommunicators as emergency responders and expanding access to mental wellness resources is an important step toward ensuring the people who help others through tragedy get the support they need, too.”

Jim Howell, Administrator for AFSCME Council 13, celebrated the achievement as an important win for Pennsylvania’s public safety workforce.

“The passage of HB 453 is a significant victory for Pennsylvania’s public safety workforce. It rightfully defines public safety telecommunicators among first emergency responder roles such as law enforcement officers, firefighters, and EMS personnel while also expanding the state’s Emergency Responder Mental Wellness and Stress Management program to all public safety answering point (PSAP) telecommunicators. Additionally, surviving family members of fallen municipal police officers, including sheriffs in second class counties, will continue to receive critical health care benefits. This is a major milestone that should be expanded to all hazardous public sector positions.”

This achievement demonstrates what is possible when workers speak up, organize, and advocate for the recognition and protections they deserve. AFSCME members helped push this issue forward, ensuring that the essential work of 911 dispatchers is recognized in Pennsylvania law.

While passage of HB 453 marks meaningful progress, there is more work to do. AFSCME Council 13 will continue advocating for equitable protections for the families of fallen law enforcement officers, regardless of county classification, and for meaningful safeguards for all public employees who work in hazardous conditions.