1. (1) “Acute Stress Disorder” means the same diagnosis as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder but is present for thirty (30) days or less. Once identified, prompt treatment for this disorder should be provided.
2. (2) “Administrator” means the chief administrative officer of the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation or the administrator’s designee.
3. (3) “Applicant” means a party who has submitted a request for program funds on the form prescribed by the administrator.
4. (4) “Award Letter” means the administrator’s written notification of the conditioned award of monies from the program.
5. (5) “Bureau” means the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation.
6. (6) “Commissioner” means the commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development.
7. (7) “Department” means the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development.
8. (8) “Employer” means a municipality, county, metropolitan form of government, or other political subdivision of this state that employs firefighters.
9. (9) “Federal Grants” means any federal discretionary grant program that awards financial assistance to be used for the purpose of the purchase of firefighting equipment and training including, but not limited to, the Federal Emergency Management Agency Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG).

10. (10) “Fire Department”:

    1. (a) Means a department of a municipality, county, or political subdivision, or an organization, agency, or entity that offers its services, for or without pay, for the purpose of suppressing fires, performing rescue services, or for other emergency response purposes; and POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER
    2. (b) Does not include law enforcement agencies, emergency medical agencies licensed by the Tennessee Emergency Medical Services Board, and rescue squads that do not provide fire protection.

11. (11) “Firefighter”:

    1. (a) Means a regular or full-time, paid employee of the fire department of a municipality, county, municipal form of government, or other political subdivision of this state and whose duties require the employee to actively engage in fire suppression, rescue services, or other emergency response tasks; and
    2. (b) Includes employees whose previous duties required the employee to respond to and be actively engaged in fire suppression, rescue services, or other emergency response tasks.
12. (12) “For Cause” means removal from the committee because of personal dishonesty, willful misconduct, any breach of fiduciary duty involving personal profit, intentional failure to perform stated duties, or conviction of a felony.
13. (13) “Grant Allocation Committee” means a group of five (5) or more individuals to advise the grant program regarding the allocation of funds.
14. (14) “Maximum Medical Improvement” shall have the same meaning as in T.C.A. § 50-6-207(1)(D).
15. (15) “Mental Health Professional” means an individual professionally licensed in this state to diagnose and treat post-traumatic stress disorders.
16. (16) “Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder” (PTSD) has the same meaning as defined in the most recent publication of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) of the American Psychiatric Association. For the purposes of this chapter, no distinction is made between PTSD and post-traumatic stress injury (PTSI). Treatment for acute stress disorder, once identified, should not be delayed.
17. (17) “Program” means the grant program for firefighters diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
18. (18) “State Fire Marshal” means the commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance, or commissioner’s designee.
19. (19) “State Fire Marshal’s Office” means the Division of Fire Prevention at the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance.
20. (20) “Workers’ Compensation Benefits” for the limited purposes of this chapter includes disability and medical benefits provided under an employer sponsored plan that is exempt from Title 50, Chapter 6, in addition to disability and medical benefits provided under Title 50, Chapter 6.

Authority: T.C.A. § 50-6-111. Administrative History: New rules filed December 23, 2024; effective March 23, 2025.