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A new ordinance passed in Kansas City, Missouri, establishes a child care program designed to support first responders and their families.
The program is also expected to help with the issue of recruitment and retention challenges in public safety departments.
The pilot program also provides relief from the significant financial burden for first responder families.
KCMO Fire Department Captain Kyle Hendricks, who has three young children, pays more than $47,000 annually for child care.
"A little over $47,000, which is basically the salary of a brand-new firefighter," Hendricks said.
Under the new Tri-share program, costs will be split three ways. The state, city and employee each pay one-third of the child care expenses.
This structure is designed to make quality child care more accessible for public safety personnel.
The program specifically targets families with nontraditional work schedules, a common challenge in first responder careers.
Firefighter paramedic Dustin Burns says the impact of a program like this will be felt on the fire department.
"Anything that can help out at home, especially if I am unable to be at home because I'm on a 24-hour shift away from home, it's, it can be a life changer," Burns said.
City officials view the program as an investment in public safety quality. Mayor Pro Tem Ryana Parks-Shaw says the initiative will help the city "provide the best and highest-level public safety possible."
The program is expected to launch within the next few months and will have a reimbursement model.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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