The "911 SAVES Act of 2025" aims to recognize the critical role of public safety telecommunicators by urging the Office of Management and Budget to classify them under Protective Service Occupations in the Standard Occupational Classification system. If a separate code is not established, a report explaining the reasoning must be submitted to specific congressional committees.
Norma Torres
Representative
CA-35
The 911 SAVES Act of 2025 aims to recognize the critical role of public safety telecommunicators by potentially reclassifying them within the Standard Occupational Classification system as Protective Service Occupations. This reclassification would acknowledge their life-saving work and align the system with the duties they perform. The Act mandates a report to Congress explaining the reasoning if the Director of the Office of Management and Budget decides against creating a separate code for these telecommunicators.
911 Dispatchers Could Get Reclassified: Bill Pushes for 'Protective Service' Status
The 911 SAVES Act of 2025 is pushing to change how the federal government classifies 911 dispatchers. Right now, they're grouped with office and administrative support occupations. This bill wants the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to consider moving them under 'protective service occupations'—think firefighters and police officers—in the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system.
Recognizing 911 Operators
The main idea is to give 911 dispatchers, or 'public safety telecommunicators,' recognition for the critical (and often stressful) work they do. The bill (in Section 2) points out that these folks aren't just answering phones. They're guiding people through emergencies, providing life-saving instructions, and gathering vital information in high-pressure situations, like active shooter events. The bill acknowledges the emotional and physical toll this can take, even mentioning the use of critical incident stress debriefing (CISD) teams.
What Changes, Exactly?
If the OMB agrees with the reclassification, it means 911 dispatchers would be officially recognized as part of the protective services group in federal statistics. This might not sound like a huge deal, but it could have ripple effects. For example, a construction worker calling 911 during a job-site accident relies on the dispatcher to quickly and accurately relay information to paramedics. Accurate classification could lead to better data collection, potentially informing resource allocation and training for these crucial first responders. The bill highlights that the SOC system is for statistical purposes, classifying workers based on work performed, skills, education, and training (Section 2).
The OMB's Move
Section 3 of the bill lays out the process. The OMB Director has to consider creating a specific code for public safety telecommunicators within the protective service category during the next SOC system update. But, if they decide against it, they have to explain why. They'll need to send a report to the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and the House Committee on Education and the Workforce within 60 days of the final decision, justifying their reasoning.
Potential Roadblocks
While the bill aims to better reflect the reality of the job, there's a catch. Because the SOC is primarily for statistical purposes, reclassification doesn't automatically guarantee better pay or benefits for dispatchers. However, it could pave the way for future changes by providing a more accurate picture of the profession's demands and responsibilities.