West Virginia Legislative Services Photo West Virginia Delegate David Pethtel, D-Wetzel, right, speaks with Delegate Ed Evans, D-McDowell, Thursday on the House floor.

WHEELING — Legislation permitting properly trained first responders to carry firearms unanimously passed the West Virginia House of Delegates Thursday, and is now on its way to the Senate.

House Bill 2916, introduced by Delegate David Pethtel, D-Wetzel, would allow emergency service personnel, ambulance drivers and firefighters to carry weapons when performing their duties if they successfully pass an equivalent firearms training course provided by the West Virginia State Police Academy and maintain their certification.

The provision would also extend to investigators from the West Virginia Attorney General’s Office, and reserve sheriff’s deputies.

County commissions also would be authorized to designate county personnel whose duties include security emergency management to carry a handgun as part of their job.

The bill also would exempt government agencies from being held legally liable for the acts of the official or first responder with a firearm “if the act or omission was done in good faith while the investigator was performing official duties or responsibilities,” the bill states.

Pethtel noted the measure does not make it mandatory for first responders to carry weapons, but provides them the option if they want to go through the required training.

It also permits government agencies to reimburse the first responder for the costs of that training.

He said he had been hearing from emergency personnel about the need for them to carry firearms while on duty.

“Especially in rural communities, when they go on a call, they don’t really know what to expect,” Pethtel said. “Some of them have told me when transporting people to hospital, sometimes the (patients) have had weapons on them that have to be removed by hospital personnel when they got there.

It’s become a real safety issue for first responders.”

Pethtel said he proposed similar legislation last year that passed the House, but not the Senate.

“We’re hoping it gets through this year,” he said. “I don’t know what their concerns were, but we will try to work with them and try to get that worked out.”