EMMITSBURG, Md. — The Justice Department has approved more than three times as many Public Safety Officers’ Benefits survivor claims in the past four weeks as it did during the previous nine months, distributing more than $96 million to eligible families of fallen public safety officers.
The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation said in a press release that the increase followed a directive from Associate Attorney General Stanley E. Woodward Jr. to assign additional resources to the program.
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“This is a meaningful step forward, and I want to thank Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, Associate Attorney General Woodward and the entire PSOB team for their commitment to getting benefits into the hands of Fire Hero Families,” NFFF CEO Victor Stagnaro said. “Delivering $96 million in benefits in a matter of weeks shows what’s possible when we prioritize the first responder community. For families carrying the weight of losing a firefighter or another public safety officer, timely recognition and support make a real difference during one of the hardest moments of their lives. We look forward to continuing to work alongside the DOJ to keep this momentum going for current and future applicants, including the families now eligible for occupational cancer–related benefits under the Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act.”
The PSOB Program provides death and education benefits to eligible survivors of fallen law enforcement officers, firefighters and other first responders. It also provides disability benefits to public safety officers catastrophically injured in the line of duty and education benefits to their families. The Office of Justice Programs receives more than 1,200 claims annually and works with survivors, injured officers and public safety agencies to process them.
Families seeking help with PSOB claims can receive assistance through the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation’s Local Assistance State Team Program. Trained responders and benefits specialists help survivors prepare claims and connect them with peer support, counseling and other resources.
