Commonwealth Public Safety Medal of Valor; medal may be awarded to dispatcher.

Public safety officer; Commonwealth Public SafetyMedal of Valor; dispatcher. Adds a dispatcher to the definitionof a public safety officer for purposes of possible selection bythe Governor for the Commonwealth Public Safety Medal of Valor, presentedfor performance above and beyond the call of duty involving extraordinaryvalor in the face of grave danger, at great personal risk. The billprovides that a dispatcher is not included in the definition of public safety officer for the purpose of an injury where weather constitutesa particular risk of a public safety officer's employment to be compensableunder the Virginia Workers' Compensation Act. A dispatcher is definedin relevant law as an individual employed by a public safety answering point, an emergency medical dispatch service provider, or both, whois qualified to answer incoming emergency telephone calls or providefor the appropriate emergency response either directly or throughcommunication with the appropriate public safety answering point.