OLYMPIA—Rep. Joe Timmons (D-Bellingham) remembers life in his district post 9/11 and especially during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Whatcom County was also impacted hard by devastating floods in the fall of 2021, which also left a lasting impression on him.
“I realized just how important it is to have a strong network of volunteers,” said Timmons, explaining his reasoning for introducing HB 1452, which will create a state emergency medical reserve corps. “This bill will allow professionals from all over the state to assist communities in times of need,” he explained. “We owe it to the state of Washington to be as prepared as possible in times of crisis, during public health emergencies and natural disasters.”
A state emergency medical reserve corps would consist of a variety of experts that can assist during public health emergencies, including doctors, nurses, veterinarians and behavioral health counselors.
“We know that our first responders go through so much, and having a network of trained volunteers that can be activated across county lines to be a second wave of support in times of need will be greatly beneficial,” said Timmons. “The emergency medical reserve corps will work with local health departments and emergency response teams on the ground.”
HB 1452 passed off the House floor earlier today with unanimous bipartisan vote of 96-0. It now advances to the Senate for further consideration.