My friend is a FEMA worker (please read)

[Omaha Steve]

My friend is a first responder for the federal government, on call to go anywhere in the country when there's a disaster. Over the years I've seen her drop everything at a moment's notice to help Americans survive extreme catastrophes.

I was stunned when she told me that she had no health benefits because the government considers people with her job -- like responders to Hurricane Sandy -- to be part-time, even though she will have served 305 days of disaster recovery work by the end of the year.

This isn't right. I started a petition on Change.org asking the federal government to give health care to all government disaster workers immediately. Click here to sign.

Right now, there are government workers restoring power to neighborhoods, pulling bodies from wreckage, and delivering fresh water to the tens of thousands of Hurricane Sandy victims. Disaster workers risk their lives every time they are called into duty during natural disasters -- many without health care.

My friend was one of the first on the scene when a tornado ravaged Joplin, Missouri, and has shared devastating stories about the destruction left behind from Hurricane Isaac. She says that the demand for trained disaster assistance employees is greater than the availability, and they work long hours in the most dangerous of conditions.

I saw a seasonal firefighter win health care for all wildland firefighters this summer with a petition on Change.org. I believe the government can do the same for disaster workers who also put themselves in harm's' way to help.

Click here now to sign my petition asking FEMA to provide health coverage for all government disaster employees: http://www.change.org/petitions/fema-s-first-responders-to-hurricane-sandy-deserve-federal-health-care-benefits?utm_source=action_alert&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=13069&alert_id=YDHnLvteJx_HfBCoffDhP

Thank you for your support.

Dena Patrick
Friend of a DAE worker
Apex, North Carolina

[elleng]

1. Signed.

[politicat]

2. Kicked, recc'ed and signed

[SubgeniusHasSlack]

3. Signed it.

Thanks for taking the initiative on this.

[siligut]

4. Signed

[Sekhmets Daughter]

5. Done!

I signed that petition for the seasonal firefighters....I can't believe these people go without coverage.... It's shameful. Thanks for alerting us.

[bluedigger]

6. Signed

Former civilian consultant for FEMA. Four years in New Orleans. No health benefits.

[coeur_de_lion]

7. DONE

[Honeycombe8]

8. It's not just benefits, it's the full package. How much do they get paid?

Do they get raises or bonuses? How many hours are they required to work each and every year? Is there a pension or retirement plan?

All these things go into a compensation package.

If the pay is bad and there are no benefits, why are they still there? What's the draw? There must be some reason.

[Louisiana1976]

9. Signed.

[tpsbmam]

10. Done & shared. Thanks for posting this!

It never occurred to me they weren't covered. Appalling!

[chalky]

11. K, R & signed.

n/t

[avebury]

12. Signed. nt

[frogmarch]

13. Signed. nt

[Cha]

14. Thanks Steve.. Done.

[Trailrider1951]

15. Signed and REC

ALL of our citizens need and deserve access to healthcare. In the absence of single payer for all, no matter the employer, I support providing health insurance to our First Responders. If we can give it to Cheney the Undead, we can afford it for the people who actually serve We, the People.

[RiskWrangler]

18. Totally agree

with your sentiments...ALL people should be covered. I am not trying to take away anything from the idea of helping the First Responders at all..but would like to keep active the goal of providing to all as a basic American right we should all have.

[beac]

16. K&R & signed. n/t

[Lilma]

17. signed

[Tribalceltic]

19. Signed and kicked NT

[locdlib]

20. signed.

[garthranzz]

21. Done and tweeted

[WinstonSmith4740]

22. Done!

K&R...really good cause!

[Delmette]

23. Done and don't forget our...

Wild fire fighters!

[Demoiselle]

24. Signed...

[Kaleva]

25. Done

[northoftheborder]

26. signed.

[Milliesmom]

27. I signed

However I thought that most Fema boots on the ground workers were part time due to the fact it would be a waste of money to have them (doing what ?) in non emergency times. The time they are needed most is during emergencies!,

[-Steph-]

28. Signed

[Harriety]

29. signed

[agtcovert]

30. signed

[CaliforniaPeggy]

31. Done.

I am horrified that these brave, hard workers labor without benefits. That is totally wrong.

It is not who we are.

[onestepforward]

32. Signed.

[ChachaCha]

33. Signed.

This is a national embarrassment, but we will make it right!!!

[FLyellowdog]

34. Done. nt

[NYFlip]

35. Done