HR 4671
Ensuring Casualty Assistance for our Firefighters Act
Take action
Record your position on this measure.
Sign in to record your position, submit testimony, or contact your legislator.
Sign in to take action- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To President
- Became Law
Bill overview
This bill directs the Department of the Interior to create a program to provide support to the families of firefighters and wildland fire support personnel who are killed, critically injured, or suffer illness in the line of duty. The program will offer assistance with notifications, travel expenses, case management, and access to information about available benefits from various federal agencies. It also establishes guidelines for the program’s operation and data collection to improve casualty assistance services.
Key provisions
- Develop a Wildland Fire Management Casualty Assistance Program.
- Provide notifications to next-of-kin of injured or deceased firefighters and support personnel.
- Reimburse travel expenses for visiting injured or deceased personnel.
- Establish centralized case management procedures for survivors.
- Offer a website providing information on available benefits.
- Coordinate with the Department of Justice and Social Security Administration.
- Collect data on casualty assistance services provided.
- Maintain existing Line of Duty Death benefits.
Who is affected
- Firefighters
- Wildland Fire Support Personnel
- Next-of-Kin of Firefighters and Support Personnel
- Department of the Interior
- Federal Government Agencies
Notable changes
- Establishes a dedicated program for casualty assistance.
- Expands access to information about federal benefits.
Sponsors
Official sponsors from legislative records.
Primary sponsor
Cosponsors
Arguments in favor
Reasons to support this legislation.
No arguments in favor have been submitted.
Submit yoursArguments opposed
Reasons to oppose this legislation.
No arguments opposed have been submitted.
Submit yoursRead the latest version inline or switch to a previous version.
119th CONGRESS — 1st Session
H. R. 4671
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of the Interior to develop a Wildland Fire Management Casualty Assistance Program, and for other purposes.
This Act may be cited as the Ensuring Casualty Assistance for our Firefighters Act
.
Program) to provide assistance to the next-of-kin of—
wildland fire support personnel critically injured or killed in the line of duty.
The Program shall address the following:
The initial and any subsequent notifications to the next-of-kin of a firefighter or wildland fire support personnel who—
is killed in the line of duty; or
requires hospitalization or treatment at a medical facility due to a line-of-duty injury or illness.
The reimbursement of next-of-kin for expenses associated with travel to visit a firefighter or wildland fire support personnel who—
is killed in the line of duty; or
requires hospitalization or treatment at a medical facility due to a line-of-duty injury or illness.
The qualifications, assignment, training, duties, supervision, and accountability for the performance of casualty assistance responsibilities.
Centralized, short-term and long-term case management procedures for casualty assistance, including rapid access by survivors of firefighters or wildland fire support personnel and casualty assistance officers to expert case managers and counselors.
The provision, through a computer accessible website and other means and at no cost to survivors and next-of-kin of firefighters or wildland fire support personnel, of personalized, integrated information on the benefits and financial assistance available to such survivors from the Federal Government.
The provision of information to survivors and next-of-kin of firefighters or wildland fire support personnel on mechanisms for registering complaints about, or requests for, additional assistance related to casualty assistance.
Data collection, in consultation with the United States Fire Administration and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, regarding the incidence and quality of casualty assistance provided to survivors of firefighters or wildland fire support personnel.
Surviving legal spouse.
Children (whether by current or prior marriage) age 18 years or older in descending precedence by age.
Father or mother, unless by court order custody has been vested in another (adoptive parent takes precedence over natural parent).
Siblings (whole or half) age 18 years or older in descending precedence by age.
Grandfather or grandmother.
Any other relative (precedence to be determined in accordance with the civil law of descent of the deceased former member’s State of domicile at time of death).