Two Tennessee Republican lawmakers filed an act Monday that aims at providing support for firefighters who are diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
State Sen. Paul Bailey (R-Sparta) and Rep. Johnny Garrett (R-Goodlettsville) filed the James ‘Dustin’ Samples Act in honor of Captain James ‘Dustin’ Samples of the Cleveland Fire Department who sadly committed suicide in 2020 after a long-time battle with PTSD.
Sen. Bailey says that lawmakers owe it to firefighters and those who work to save lives to do all they can to prevent any risk of injury on the job.
We can’t legislate away traumatic accidents and emergencies, but we can remove obstacles to getting support when firefighters need it. Addressing the crisis of PTSD and suicide in the fire service requires a commitment to both prevention and treatment from all stakeholders and that’s what SB856 aims to do.
Jennifer Samples, the widow of Captain Dustin Samples says this law is important in addressing mental health
Dustin was incredibly passionate about the work he did and gave all he had. It’s important to me that I honor his legacy by continuing to raise awareness and support for those with mental health injuries. These injuries can be just as severe, if not more so, than many of the physical injuries that are visible. Unfortunately, sometimes, as in Dustin’s case, they can even be fatal.
If the law passes, it will make a PTSD diagnosis for a firefighter, “presumed to be an injury suffered in the course of employment if certain criteria is met.”
All of the Senate and most of the House have signed on as co-sponsors.