A bill to help New Mexico’s firefighters who are suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder is moving forward at the Roundhouse.
House Bill 324 would add PTSD to the list of conditions caused by a firefighter's job and require employers to provide medical treatment for the disorder.
Albuquerque Fire Rescue Deputy Chief Gene Gallegos showed his support for the bill in Santa Fe. "This allows the first responders and firefighters out there to worry about their own mental health, focus on their families and focus on the job itself, not focusing on proving that they gained PTSD from the job itself,” Gallegos said.
Al Ortega, vice president of the International Association of Firefighters Local 244, believes the bill would make it easier for first responders to get treatment for PTSD.