In the Line of Duty

The NVFC mourns the loss of volunteer and career firefighters nationwide. For a listing of firefighters who have fallen in the line of duty, visit the U.S. Fire Administration web site, or click here.

 

Public Safety Officers' Benefits Program
The Bureau of Justice Assistance's (BJA) Public Safety Officers' Benefits Program (PSOB) provides death benefits in the form of a one-time financial payment to the eligible survivors of public safety officers whose deaths are the direct result of a traumatic injury sustained in the line of duty. It also provides disability benefits for public safety officers who have been permanently and totally disabled by a catastrophic personal injury sustained in the line of duty, if that injury permanently prevents the officer from performing any substantial and gainful work. The Public Safety Officers' Educational Assistance Act provides financial assistance for higher education for the spouses and children of public safety officers who have been permanently disabled or killed in the line of duty. Learn more. 

Hometown Heroes Survivors Benefits Claim Checklist
The BJA has developed a checklist to assist public safety agencies submitting Hometown Heroes PSOB applications.  Learn more.

 

The NVFC, in consultation with BJA, has developed this document, which expands on major issues that the checklist addresses. PSOB is a one-time financial benefit to the eligible survivors of public safety officers whose deaths were the direct and proximate result of a personal injury sustained in the line of duty. Learn more.

 

Wills for Heroes Foundation
Wills for Heroes Foundation offers free estate planning services to first responders. The wills are drafted in a single sitting. Wills for Heroes Foundation provides this free service by bringing together the first responder with attorneys, laptop computers, witnesses and notaries at a department station, training facility, or headquarters on a predetermined Saturday. The department's sole responsibilities are to provide the meeting space and coordinate the appointments. Learn more.

 

USFA Firefighter Fatalities
The U.S. Fire Administration compiles information about on-duty U.S. firefighter fatalities, including notices of firefighter fatalities, a searchable database of firefighters honored at the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial, a description of the Memorial, a database with statistics related to the circumstances surrounding fatalities, the annual USFA firefighter fatality report, and information about the Public Safety Officers' Benefits Program. Learn more.

 

Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) conducts independent investigations of firefighter line-of-duty deaths. This site provides access to NIOSH investigation reports and other firefighter safety resources. NIOSH is the federal agency responsible for conducting research and making recommendations for the prevention of work-related injury and illness. It is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the Department of Health and Human Services. Learn more.

 

National Fallen Firefighters Foundation
Congress created the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation to lead a nationwide effort to remember America's fallen firefighters. Since 1992, the Foundation has developed and expanded programs to honor fallen firefighters and assist their families and coworkers. Learn more.

 

Taking Care of Our Own: A Chief’s Guide to Preparing for a Line-of-Duty Death
The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation offers a training program to help fire departments prepare for the worst - a line-of-duty death or serious injury. Fire service personnel and families who have lost a firefighter in the line-of-duty helped develop this one-day course. Taking Care of Our Own® covers pre-incident planning, survivor notification, family and coworker support, and benefits and resources available to the families. Course materials are also available for download. Learn more.

 

Firefighter Autopsy Protocol
The United States Fire Administration released a standard firefighter autopsy protocol to provide guidance to medical examiners, coroners, and pathologists on uniform recommended procedures for investigating the causes and contributing factors related to firefighter deaths. The protocol addresses attributes - such as protective clothing and equipment, prolonged exposures to the hazardous environment and specialized training and duties - that distinguish firefighter casualties from the general population as well as civilian fire casualties. Learn more.

 

Funeral Procedures for Firefighters
Firefighting continues to be one of the nation's most hazardous professions. According to the United States Fire Administration, about 100 firefighters die in the line of duty each year in the U.S. It is only fitting, given the heroic efforts of the fire service personnel, both paid and volunteer, that they be given the final respect they deserve. The National Volunteer Fire Council developed this resource manual in response to numerous requests for information about how to properly conduct funeral services. Learn more.

 

Fallen Firefighters Dress Uniform Program
Lighthouse Uniform Company has established a program to provide the family of any firefighter who has died in the line of duty the opportunity to bury that person in a Class ‘A’ Dress Uniform. At the request of the immediate family of the fallen firefighter, Lighthouse Uniform Company will provide, for burial purposes, a Class ‘A’ dress uniform. There is no charge for the uniform, rank collar pins, or Maltese Cross. There is a shipping charge, which the company bills to the affiliated department. Learn more.

 

Lighthouse Uniform Company has partnered with the Journal of Emergency Medical Services (JEMS) and the National EMS Memorial Service to provide a Class ‘A’ EMS dress uniform, free of charge, for the burial of any EMS provider who loses his or her life in the line of duty. Learn more.