President Joe Biden made remarks last week at the Summit for Fire Prevention and Control, honoring the heroism and bravery of our firefighters. This gathering of our nation’s fire service leadership occurred during Fire Prevention Week, which marks its 100th year of observance.
Biden signed into law a presumption that a first responder who dies of COVID-19 can qualify for federal public safety officer benefits, and he acknowledged that cancer is the leading cause of death among firefighters.
“I’d like to take a moment at the top here to honor the lives we’ve lost of those in the past two years, including from COVID — 135 on-duty firefighters in 2021, another 77 to date in 20- — 2022,” said Biden. “And it’s a — it’s an acute reminder of the risk firefighters bear and, quite frankly, of their bravery. You’re the only ones who run toward flames and not away from them when that fire bell rings.”
Biden also highlighted the risks first responders face in potential future cancer diagnoses during his virtual address. He stated:
“Cancer is a leading killer of firefighters. Toxic substances you’ve been exposed to as part of your job are almost certainly — certainly connected to those cancer diagnoses. And we’re doing — we’re going to do something about it.
The Cancer Moonshot is bringing together every part of our government to cut cancer death rates in half and to end cancer as we know it, including by addressing environmental and toxic exposures to prevent cancer.
We just passed national legislation — national legislation to deal with the burn pits in Afghanistan and Iraq, and — that so many of our soldiers — we finally got it passed so that we can care for their families if they’ve been — lost their lives or care for them, in fact, if they — if they’re going through this.
We created a special claims unit at the Department of Labor to ensure that they’re processing federal firefighters’ cancer claims quickly.”
You can read the president’s remarks in full by clicking here. To read further about the federal benefits the president discussed, click here.
The president continued, stating, “I’m urging Congress to send to my desk the Federal Firefighters Fairness Act — let me say it again: the Federal Firefighters Fairness Act — which are going to help federal firefighters and their families assess critical worker compensation resources, including making sure that several forms of cancer are presumed to be caused — presumed to be caused by the firefighter’s job.”
Biden, speaking from the Whitehouse remotely, told the gathered assembly, “I’m also proud that last November, I signed into law Protecting America’s First Responders Act, which extends the benefits under the Public Safety Officers’ Death Benefits Program to the families of firefighters killed in training and made it easier to qualify for permanent disability.”
What benefits are available to firefighters injured or killed in the line of duty?
Firefighters who are injured on the job in North Carolina are entitled to several types of workers’ compensation benefits. These benefits are also available to their families in cases of fatal work injuries and may include:
- Medical benefits. These cover all necessary medical treatments related to the injury or illness sustained in the line of duty. This can include hospital stays, surgeries, medications, physical therapy and any other medical expenses directly related to the work injury.
- Wage loss benefits. If a firefighter is unable to work due to their injury, they’re eligible for wage loss benefits. These benefits are typically two-thirds of the firefighter’s average weekly wage and are intended to compensate for the loss of income during their recovery period.
- Death benefits. In the tragic event of a firefighter dying in the line of duty, their family or dependents are entitled to death benefits. These benefits cover funeral and burial expenses as well as a portion of the deceased firefighter’s salary for a certain period to help support them financially after their loss.
To ensure you get the full benefits to which you’re entitled, you should consider consulting with a workers’ compensation attorney before accepting any settlement offer from an employer or their insurer.
Wilder Pantazis Law Group helps injured first responders throughout North and South Carolina
Wilder Pantazis Law Group has extensive experience in first-responder workers’ compensation cases. If you or a loved one has been injured on the job, talk with one of our qualified and knowledgeable attorneys today. We’ve been representing injured workers in North and South Carolina for decades and vow to do what’s right on your behalf at every twist and turn of your case.
Your first consultation is always free, and we don’t get paid unless you do.