FAIRFAX, Va. — The International Association of Fire Chiefs and a corporate partner will off-set the financial burden for injured firefighters or EMTs. Nominations close Sept. 2.
Five first responders who are in financial need will each receive a $20,000 donations. The firefighting community is encouraged to tell the story of a first responder who was injured in the line of duty and suffering from the subsequent financial hardship.
IAFC and three other public-safety organizations have been invited by the partner to seek nominations. A total of $400,000 will be awarded through the four organizations.
All nominations will be forwarded to the partner, which will then select and announce the recipients in a few weeks. Selections will be based on the individuals’ financial needs and how compelling their stories are.
Eligibility for the nomination is open only to firefighter and emergency responders in U.S. agencies. Local, state and federal responders, as well as career and volunteer responders are eligible. Moreover, the first responder must still be alive and living with the effects of a serious physical injury.
The injury should be serious enough to have had a long-lasting impact on the individual’s ability to do his or her original job. The head of the individual’s agency when injured must also be comfortable with the story being made public; IAFC will confirm this with the agency head.
To nominate someone, submit the following information:
- Your name, title, department/agency, phone number and email address.
- Your nominee’s name, title, department/agency, phone number and email address.
- A Word document detailing the incident in which the injury occurred, the nature and severity of the injuries and the financial challenges suffered as a result of the injuries. The more details provided, the better your odds are of being selected.
Email nominations to jphilipps@iafc.org no later than 11:59 p.m. (EDT), Friday, September 2.
IAFC membership is not required to submit a nomination.