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Hometown Heroes Survivors Benefits Act Passed
FireChief.Com

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- On Tuesday, Nov. 25, the Senate approved the Hometown Heroes Survivor Benefits Act (S. 459), extending coverage of the federal Public Safety Officers Benefits program to fire, police, EMS personnel who die of heart attacks or strokes while on duty.

The House passed the measure on Nov. 22. The legislation will go on to the White House, where the President is expected to sign it into law.

Heart attacks and strokes are a leading cause of firefighter deaths, usually accounting for about half of firefighter on-duty deaths each year. In 2002, 37 on-duty fire fighters died of heart attacks, according to the International Association of Fire Chiefs.

“Sadly, dozens of fire fighters die each year from heart attacks or strokes they suffered while on duty,” said IAFC President Ernest Mitchell. “The IAFC has been working to get this critical piece of legislation passed through Congress so that families of fallen fire fighters can now receive much-needed federal assistance.”

The PSOB program, administered by the Department of Justice, provides a one-time financial benefit — currently set at $267,494 — to families police, fire and EMS personnel killed or permanently disabled in the line of duty. "In cases involving heart attacks or strokes, the burden of proof is currently placed on the family to demonstrate a direct relation between the heart attack or stroke and the actions performed in the line of duty," according to the IAFC. "The Hometown Heroes Survivors Benefit Act shifts that burden to the Department of Justice by adding language presumptively qualifying heart attacks and strokes as line-of-duty deaths."

According to the Congressional Fire Services Institute, Bob Etheridge (N.C.) originally introduced the legislation in the House last year, and Senator Patrick Leahy (Vt.) introduced the companion bill in the Senate.“Both Congressman Etheridge and Senator Leahy deserve a lot of credit for their tireless efforts to enact this measure,” said Bill Webb, CFSI's executive director. “We also extend our thanks and appreciation to Congressman Howard Coble (N.C.), chairman of the House Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security; and Senator Orrin Hatch (Utah) and Congressman James Sensenbrenner (Wis.), who chair the oversight committees in their respective chambers. These members of Congress have demonstrated the bipartisan spirit of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus in working together to ensure passage of this important measure.”

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