Concussions and other injuries sustained by law enforcement at the Capitol on Jan. 6 garnered national headlines. While much of the national dialog surrounding concussions over the past decade has focused on athletes, concussions, also known as mild traumatic brain injuries or mTBI, are a daily hazard faced by first-responders across the country.
Although specific data on the annual number of concussions sustained is lacking, assaults and violent acts, vehicle crashes, falls, explosive forced entry, flash-bang devices and repeated low-level blast exposure are among the reported causes of concussions in first-responders.
Last week, Reps. Bill Pascrell Jr., D-N.J., John Rutherford, R-Fla., Don Bacon, R-Neb., and Val B. Demings, D-Fla., reintroduced their TBI and PTSD Law Enforcement Training Act. The bill would implement a number of measures to better train law enforcement for interactions with individuals suffering from PTSD or TBI. This training would help ensure the safety of members of the community, as well as first-responders. In addition, the bill would require the CDC to study and report on the prevalence and incidence of concussions among first-responders and to recommend resources for first-responders who have experienced a concussion.
This is an apt time not only to reintroduce this bill but also to add funding for concussion drug research and development. National Police Week, which began May 9, recognizes law enforcement officers who have lost their lives in the line of duty for the safety and protection of others. May is also National Mental Health Awareness Month, bringing attention to policies needed to support and help people with mental illness and their families.
While most people recover from their concussions, some have symptoms that plague them for months and even years. Symptoms may take days or weeks to appear and when they do, they are often not recognized as concussion symptoms. The TBI and PTSD bill would help us quantify how many concussions our first-responders incur each year and develop strategies for treatment and limiting their occurrence. There are no real treatments available today, and that must change.
The Link LonkMay 14, 2021 at 05:14PM
https://www.rollcall.com/2021/05/14/in-concussion-debate-dont-forget-toll-on-first-responders/
In concussion debate, don't forget toll on first-responders - Roll Call
https://news.google.com/search?q=forget&hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US:en
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