Governor Michael Pence has signed a bill into law that addresses mobile disaster relief funding.
This bill helps pay overtime for the emergency personnel called out to statewide disasters. When the tornadoes hit Henryville in March 2012, firefighters from around the state responded to the scene. Local departments had to absorb the cost of paying the firefighters and their backups for their overtime work.
House Enrolled Act 1325 creates the State Disaster Relief Fund and will be used to pay first responders. The legislation also provides funds for local departments to bring in backup firefighters to replace those who responded to a disaster. This will help the local District 2 Task Force when responding to incidents of disaster in the state.
HEA 1325 author, Republican State Representative Randy Frye, stated that money is not a motivating factor for service, but it is necessary in order to deploy first responders to a distant crisis while also providing coverage for the local municipality.
