‘It makes it a true career:’ 911 officials applaud retirement bill

Gov. Jim Justice joined Kanawha County and 911 officials Tuesday for a ceremonial signing of Senate Bill 439, which lowers the retirement age for 911 dispatchers. (Lori Kersey | West Virginia Watch)

Officials say a new law lowering the retirement age for 911 workers in West Virginia will turn the job into a career and help counties hire and retain emergency telecommunicators. 

Gov. Jim Justice joined Kanawha County officials and 911 leaders at Kanawha County Metro 911 Tuesday for a ceremonial signing of Senate Bill 439, which allows all 911 operators in the state to join the Emergency Medical Services Retirement System.

Currently, 911 employees are part of the state’s Public Employees Retirement System, which allows workers to retire at age 55 with 25 years of service or at age 62 with 10 years of service. Under SB 439, workers in counties that opt in will get a full retirement at 50 years of age and 20 years of service. 

Dean Meadows, executive director of the state E-911 Council and the former director of Wyoming County 911, said getting the bill passed has been a seven-year fight. The law comes after 911 operators were recognized as emergency responders in 2020, opening the door for operators to join the retirement system, Meadows said.

New hires of 911 centers were allowed to join the retirement system under legislation passed in 2022. The 2024 law extends the opportunity to all 911 operators. 

Under the bill, each county will have to opt into the retirement system. Once they opt in, 75% of eligible employees would have to vote to join the system. 

Meadows said lowering the retirement age will help with recruitment and retention efforts for 911 centers.

“We see a lot of times someone that’s looking [for a job] in this day and age, those benefits are important,” Meadows said. “In the 911 field, when we can get somebody in that’s young, and they see that they can retire at age 50 now, and not have to wait until they’re 62… we find out that they see this more as a career now and not just a stepping stone.”

Staffing was among the issues identified as significant challenges in a survey of 911 operators released last summer. 

John Rutherford, director of Kanawha County Metro 911, called lowering the retirement age “a great moment for the profession.” It will allow 911 centers to better serve the public by having more experienced employees on the job, he said. 

“You’re going to have experienced dispatchers — it’s not going to be their first time they hear about somebody breaking into a house while some lady’s there by herself. You’re going to have somebody who’s done that time and time again so they know how to give the instructions. 

“When there’s a fire in the house, they’re going to be able to give instructions on how to exit the house, And stay low and save their lives and their family lives. So important for 911, it’s really important for the community,” Rutherford said. 

Jami Drake, deputy director of Wayne County E911, said lowering the retirement age for emergency dispatchers will be life changing for them, taking their profession from a job to a career. Currently, employees in Wayne County are under multiple retirement plans, she said. 

“I think asking anybody to work until they’re 62 in this line of work is absurd,” Drake said. “So you had to have it. We needed a retirement plan where they could retire at a reasonable age at a full retirement.

“I think this bill gives them that, and it makes it a true career for them” she said. “Because they sacrifice time with their family, they sacrifice time with everything when you work in the first responder community.”

The post ‘It makes it a true career:’ 911 officials applaud retirement bill appeared first on West Virginia Watch.