The Hometown Heroes Survivor Benefit Act

The Hometown Heroes Survivor Benefit Act will change the law to include deaths by heart attack or stroke that occur while on duty or within 24 hours after participating in a physical training exercise or responding to an emergency situation.

The change in the Public Safety Officers Benefit Program will not be retroactive, but will apply to cases effective December 15, 2003, the date the measure was signed into law. The original legislation was inspired by the death of a North Carolina firefighter. The PSOB program currently provides a one-time death benefit payment of $275,658 to families of public safety officers (fire, police and EMS) killed in the line of duty, as well as to officers permanently disabled while on duty.

Source: Heather Caspi

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