Legislation Aims to Protect Off-Duty Responders from Lawsuits
The Massachusetts State Senate has unanimously approved a “Good Samaritan Bill” aimed at protecting off-duty first responders from lawsuits if they provide assistance at an emergency scene. The issue of protecting first responders and others from lawsuits has come up at various times in recent years, but quickly regained traction in the aftermath of the recent Boston Marathon bombings. “While the many off-duty firefighters and EMTs who rushed to help in the aftermath of the Marathon bombings brought this into sharp focus, the fact is we are lucky to have brave men and women who come to the aid of their fellow citizens every day in emergencies from car accidents to heart attacks,” said State Senator Katherine Clark, who chairs the Judiciary Committee. “They shouldn’t have to worry that doing the right thing could result in legal action.” According to an announcement from Clark’s office, this legislation would specifically place off-duty first responders under the state’s existing Good Samaritan Law, which protects average citizens from frivolous lawsuits if they provide assistance to somebody during an emergency. “On Marathon Monday, many off-duty firefighters and emergency medical technicians came to the immediate aid of the hundreds of people impacted by the blasts and, as good Samaritans, they should be provided with the same legal protections,” said State Senate President Therese Murray. State Senator James Timilty, a Walpole Democrat, is the lead sponsor of the bill. “This legislation not only seeks to protect those who risked their lives to help on Marathon Monday, but the everyday occurrences of an accident on the side of the road or a child injured on the ball field. We should do everything in our power to ensure that those with the adequate training to help do not hesitate out of fear of a lawsuit,” said Timilty. SOUTH END PATCH: Facebook | Twitter | E-mail Updates South End Patch
Categories: Arrests Tags: Aims, from, Lawsuits, legislation, OffDuty, Protect, Responders
Group Aims to Hold ‘Last Mile’ Run/Walk from Kenmore to Finish Line on Saturday
If you were one of the runners forced to end your Marathon early because of the bombings — or someone who just wants to show solidarity — a group is working to let you go “The Last Mile” on Saturday. Organizers are using Facebook to let people know of the effort. Here’s how they put it: So, as you have all heard by now, some coward likes to blow up trash cans. In doing so, this person or persons have hindered many from accomplishing something they have been training very hard to do over the past year. This is simple, we are going to Kenmore Square to finish the race for those who ran, and for those who can never run again. Share this with your friends, your families, your enemies, and anyone in between. Come join us and run, jog, walk, limp, wheel, or crawl that last mile. Organizers say they aren’t sure if they can get the proper permits in time. They also say that, clearly, if the stretch is still a crime scene they don’t want people jogging through and getting themselves arrested. Patch has reached out to organizers but hasn’t heard back from them yet. Some commenters on Facebook are saying it’s too soon for an event like this, with some pointing to the April 20 date (which is the anniversary of the Columbine Massacre) as a reason to choose a different day. Even if the last section of the Marathon is still cordoned off on Saturday, nearby Salem is hosting a “Last Mile” event of its own. Runners are gathering at the Salem Common at 6:45 p.m. Thursday. It’s part of a larger event including a candlelight vigil. Here is more information from the city of Salem. South End Patch