House Bill 341 lets people voluntarily indicate on their driving record whether they have a disability or a disorder. This applies to anyone, but mainly parents, guardians and their children, and it can change how first responders are able to help when it comes to an emergency.
According to LobbyTools, the Safeguarding American Families Everywhere (SAFE) Act, requires application forms for motor vehicle registration to allow applicants to indicate a diagnosis of specific disabilities or disorders.
For example, say that someone gets pulled over and they have a disability or disorder, specifically Tourette Syndrome. If something were to happen, the first responder would know how to act if they need to call someone or if they need to treat them on the spot.
According to wusf.org, the provision covers parents in Florida whose child has been diagnosed with a disability or disorder. Advocates say Florida’s new SAFE initiative will make officers more aware of medical conditions during routine traffic stops.
In knowing this, police officers would be more aware in knowing what to do if an emergency were to happen. There have been times where people will be stopped by an officer and that officer will commit an act of violence because they “feel” that the person is not cooperating when in actuality, they do not understand the officer.
HB 341 was sponsored by Rep. Michelle Salzman, and was co-sponsored by a host of her fellow lawmakers.
The bill was filed in the House of Representatives on Nov. 6, 2023, and it was signed into law by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on May 6.
Firefighters and EMTs also deserve to know what may be going on as well. According to aamc.org, when talking about how important it is for an EMT to know what is going on once arriving on the scene, “In the emergency department, it is the EMT’s responsibility to give a complete report of the patient’s current condition (as well as the circumstances of the scene) and assist with physically transferring the patient to the hospital bed.”
Samuel Stringfield, a firefighter/EMT from Melbourne, Florida, was able to expand on how HB 341 can be a good thing.
“I would say it would be a good thing moving forward only if it pertains to the emergency at hand. For example, we run a chest pain call and the patient states they have schizophrenia, that information is not important at the time.”
Stringfield also touched on how this can help first responders in knowing their patient has a disability or disorder.
“Our dispatchers are pretty good at giving details on our MDT computer in the apparatus so we know exactly what we’re running to. Sometimes we don’t get enough info from dispatch and then it ends up being a serious call.”
For more information, or anything pertaining to House Bill 341 head to www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2024/341