; Whereas first responders in rural communities often require additional specialized training given emergency response is sometimes a secondary occupation; Whereas, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, factors such as training demands, unmet expectations, work-life balance, consolidations, mergers, and regionalization, tension with local government, leadership, and departmental culture have contributed to serious recruitment and retention challenges in the first responder industry; Whereas, according to the Department of Labor, 25 percent of police officers, 19 percent of firefighters, and 10 percent of emergency medical technicians are veterans of the United States Armed Forces; Whereas, according to the Department of Health and Human Services, an estimated 30 percent of first responders will develop some behavioral health condition in their lifetime compared to 20 percent of the general population; Whereas, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, approximately 1 in 3 first responders will develop post-traumatic stress disorder in their lifetime; Whereas, according to the United States Fire Administration, first responders suffer from significantly higher suicide rates compared to other occupations; Whereas, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, first responder suicides are predominantly committed by law enforcement officers, firefighters, and emergency medical service providers; and Whereas many first responder peer support programs exist to assist in reducing the stigma associated with mental health struggles and enhance comfortability in approaching fellow colleagues for assistance: Now, therefore, be it