First responders discount doesn’t qualify for nurses

[ToriW1]

I learned today that I do not qualify for a first responders discount, however I am a medical professional. I am registered & certified in patient care. I stay by the bedside of patients and help support their families 12 hours a day. I’m a first responder when a patient is unable to breath, I am a first responder when a patient needs CPR, I am a first responder when they need someone to talk to, I am a first responder when someone needs an IV or labs drawn ASAP, I am a first responder in patient care and I make an impact on not just patients, but I'm the first to hold a family members hand and let them know everything will be okay! I am asking Verizon to expand their First respond list, let the health care workers know Verizon stands by us, because we care for Verizons families like they were our own. Thank you.
-T

[rcschnoor · Accepted solution]

Verizon and most other companies describe "first responders" as those who have to go "out" to a remote location in order to respond, therefore the need to have cellular service because you are not in the same area for work every day. I assume as a nurse, you are in a medical office or hospital of some sort and do not go out in an ambulance "responding" to emergency situations. Being ready to "respond" in your regular location of work does not really fall into the category of "first responders".

Firefighters, police, EMT, etc... do not work from a static place of employment but "respond" to remote locations. The fires do not come to the fire station. The injured do not come to the ambulance. The criminals/victims do not come to the police station. Routinely, all of THESE first responders have to go to the people to whom they are responding. If an ambulance brings a patient to the hospital, you are the "2nd" responder as the ambulance was the "1st" responder who then transported the patient to you.

This is not to say your vocation is not important, it is just not classified as a 1st responder and is not likely to be classified as such in the future.

[ToriW1 · Accepted solution]

Dispatchers are also given the discount, but have a remote location.

[rcschnoor]

---

@ToriW1 wrote:

Dispatchers are also given the discount, but have a remote location. @rcschnoor 

---

I assume you mean "static" location, i.e. always in the same place. I can't say about ALL dispatchers, but most, if not all in my area, are lisecned EMTs and/or volunteer firefighters and possibly because of said reason they are included in this discount. For instance, many dispatchers are able to walk thru callers steps for first aid to people who call in to report an incident. In this way, the dispatcher IS the actual "first responder".

Of course, I have no idea the reason behind Verizon's policy of not including nurses. Possibly it is because when most people who think of "first responders", they think of people who are putting their own lives in danger in order to respond whether it is fighting fires, responding to dangerous crimes or driving thru traffic when many people simply don't care to give first responders the right of way on the roads...

When people think of nurses, they don't necessarily think of them as putting their lives in danger. Shoud doctors also be included? What about lab technicians who have to rush thru the labwork for emergency work? What about tow truck operators who have to report to accident locations? The case could be made that MANY people are precluded from the "first responder" designation.

Possibly it is because of the dictionary definition which is:

"a person (such as a police officer or an EMT) who is among those responsible for going immediately t..."

[NewOldcustomer]

They don’t include ER doctors either.  

And for some reason, I thought I read Massachusetts first responders are excluded, it’s some kind of state law. 

[ToriW1]

I think all personnel in the medical field should be included. To say we are not included for a little discount, says our profession is underestimated and unimportant. Therefore staying with Verizon, a company that doesn't value our profession, shouldn't be collecting our hard earned dollars. We get these hard earned dollars by protecting their families. 

[vzw_customer_support]

We want all of our customers to get the discounts to which they’re entitled, ToriW1. Thank you for suggesting that we consider those who are in health care as a group to become eligible for a discount. Please rest assured I’ll pass your suggestion along to leadership for consideration in the future. Have you checked our discount site www.verizonwireless.com/discounts to see if you qualify for an employer discount? There are other ways to get the best bang for your buck as well. Verizon Up m.vzw.com/m/UpSocial offers fantastic benefits just for paying the bill. You can change plans at any time as your needs change, so be sure to check out our latest plans:https://www.verizonwireless.com/plans/ Lastly, we’re offering open enrollment for device protection https://www.verizonwireless.com/support/total-mobile-protectionand encourage you to evaluate your device protection needs. Thank you for your business and for what you do to help all those in need of medical assistance.

GeorgeS_VZW    

[NewOldcustomer]

---

@ToriW1 wrote:

I think all personnel in the medical field should be included. To say we are not included for a little discount, says our profession is underestimated and unimportant. Therefore staying with Verizon, a company that doesn't value our profession, shouldn't be collecting our hard earned dollars. We get these hard earned dollars by protecting their families. 

---

That's not why you aren't given a discount.   🙄
And to be specific the issue is a discount on unlimited data plans.   If you have a metered data plan and your hospital or business has a deal with a particular carrier for a discount,  you can get a discount.   
Certain professions (first responders)  are given discounts because they use their cell phones and their data as part of their employment. Doctors and nurses who are stationed in a hospital do not require their phones and data as part of their job. 
     This is not just a Verizon decision other carriers have the same policy.  
    

[Jjfarmer19970607]

Nurses in hospitals with valid I'd qualify for firstnet so I would hop on that 

[mama23dogs]

---

@Jjfarmer19970607 wrote:

Nurses in hospitals with valid I'd qualify for firstnet so I would hop on that 

---

Not true.  Neither do ER doctors.  
FirstNet applies to police, Fire, and ambulance, both paid and volunteer.  In the end, if your employer/entity isn't included, you are not qualified for FirstNet