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The city council in Keokuk, Iowa voted Thursday not to pay for funeral expenses for
three firefighters who died while searching a burning house in December for three
children trapped inside.
The blaze killed 1-year-old twins and a 7-year-old girl. The children's mother and
a young boy were able to escape with the help of neighbors.
AP World Wide Photos/Charlie Neibergall
Colleen Bitting, left, and Kimberly Tuck, right, recact as their husbands, Jason Bitting and Nate Tuck, are honored along with fellow firefighter David McNally during a ceremony, Feb. 16, at the statehouse in Des Moines, Iowa. The three Keokuk, Iowa, firefighters were killed while trying to save the lives of three children during a December house fire. The following day they
learned that the city of Keokuk would not pay for their husbands' funerals.
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Assistant fire chief Dave McNally, 48, and Firefighters Jason Bitting, 29, and Nate Tuck, 39,
died. All three men were married and left behind a total of eight children.
The 7-2 decision followed weeks of intense debate in the community. Council members told
local media earlier in the week that they would not bow to public pressure to pay
for the funerals.
The wives of Tuck and Bitting asked the council to consider paying for the funerals
at a meeting earlier this year.
McNally's wife was not involved in the financial request and has maintained a low
profile on the issues, reports said. The funerals cost about $21,000.
Residents were torn between their respect for the firefighters lost and the
need to follow their contracts, which did not include paying for funeral expenses,
the Des Moines Register reported.
The Daily Gate reported that there was no discussion of the issue before the vote after
hearing comments from citizens.
In January, the city cut off health insurance for the families of the victims, although
some $80,000 in life insurance has been paid out. The wives were only eligiable for a
fraction of their husband's pensions.
Iowa does not have a benefits plan for the state's firefighters, according to Paul Ryan,
Legislative Committee Chairman for the Iowa Firemen's Association.
The families may apply
and be eligible for federal public safety death benefits, however.
The controversey took a higher profile because of its contrast to the Worcester, Mass.
fire that claimed six firefighters just weeks before. The wives of those bravest
each received full pensions and medical insurance for life, as well as state and federal
benefits that total nearly $250,000.
A fund to benefit the Worcester families has raised more than $5 million.
Two funds have been established to help the victims' families.
- Keokuk Firefighters Memorial Fund
Keokuk Savings Bank
501 Main St
Keokuk, IA 52632
Phone (319) 524-2944
Fax (319) 524-2329
- Keokuk Fire Fighter Memorial Fund
c/o Keokuk Fire Department
111 South 13th Street
Keokuk, IA 52632
According to a survey on Firehouse.Com late this week, the ways fire departments around the
country pay for funerals vary. While the vast majority, 41%, didn't know
who paid for funerals, 22% said
the family was responsible for funeral expenses.
Rounding out the responses through Saturday: 12% said that local
departments picked up the cost and another 12% listed the local government, while 7% said
state government covered the costs.
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