TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - Florida lawmakers are considering a bill that would extend first responders' workers' compensation benefits to include treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder.
They're hearing heartbreaking stories of police officers and firefighters who have struggled to deal with responding to horrific deaths, yet many can't get the help they need because workers' compensation doesn't cover non-physical injuries.
That includes Gerry Realin, a 38-year-old former Orlando police officer who's suffering from PTSD after responding to the Pulse nightclub massacre. His wife Jessica is asking lawmakers to pass a bill to cover first responders.
Lawmakers have also heard from the widows of firefighters who've taken their own lives because of PTSD.
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