Public Safety Officer Benefits

Delivered six “NFFF Connect” virtual IC-to-IC presentations, one in January, February, March, April, May, and June. January’s presentation reviewed a traumatic death during a residential structure fire in Massachusetts. February’s presentation covered a volunteer firefighter that was struck by a train during search and rescue operations in Pennsylvania. March’s presentation reviewed a natural gas explosion in Wisconsin that resulted in a LODD and several injuries. In April, a LODD in Maryland while fighting a large residential structure was reviewed.

The Local Assistance State Team (LAST) Program is a collaborative effort between the Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance, and the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. The Foundation realized that to best assist families and departments who had lost a firefighter in the line of duty – they needed to have trained personnel on the ground and available to help when requested within six hours of death. This could only be accomplished by developing a team of trained responders in each state who could be deployed immediately upon notification of a line-of-duty death.

There were 177 family volunteers sent 2,091 Remembrance cards to families of fallen firefighters near the anniversary date of each firefighter’s death. Family members wrote personal messages and mailed a specially designed card to other family members to arrive immediately before the anniversary date.

Camp HAL (Healing After Loss) program is for children ages 4-6. Led by a licensed therapist who specializes in working with young children who are grieving. With support from NFFF staff and volunteers, the camp program uses play therapy and expressive therapy to help children express themselves in their natural language. Camp HAL includes a mix of activities appropriate for this age group, as well as some activities for children and parents together. Children stay with their parent overnight and when they are not in camp sessions.

Grief changes us fundamentally. After experiencing the death of a spouse or partner, our world is turned upside down and nothing is ever exactly the same again, including us. Getting to know and then coming to appreciate and respect the new self—born through the experience of widowhood—is one of the most important elements of grief recovery.
The workshop will focus on designing a plan to help grieve what was, honor what is, and explore what could be.

The conference is open to spouses, life partners, parents, adult children, and siblings of fallen firefighters honored at the National Memorial in Emmitsburg, Maryland.
The conference will address the changes that have challenged family members through their loss and provide strategies to help them optimize health and build resilience. They will learn about navigating milestones, managing stress, mindfulness, and self-care.

Taking Care of Our Own® (TCOOO) is a training for senior fire officers designed to assist 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. It covers pre-incident planning, survivor notification, family and co-worker support, and benefits and resources available to the families.

Taking Care of Our Own® (TCOOO) is a training for senior fire officers designed to assist 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. It covers pre-incident planning, survivor notification, family and co-worker support, and benefits and resources available to the families.

Taking Care of Our Own® (TCOOO) is a training for senior fire officers designed to assist 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. It covers pre-incident planning, survivor notification, family and co-worker support, and benefits and resources available to the families.

Taking Care of Our Own® (TCOOO) is a training for senior fire officers designed to assist 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. It covers pre-incident planning, survivor notification, family and co-worker support, and benefits and resources available to the families.