BERKELEY SPRINGS, WV -- Last October, the fire service and law enforcement communities were claiming victory. After a long struggle, the Public Safety Officers' Benefit (PSOB) program was finally being administered as Congress intended.
But, there's a new challenge emerging on the horizon.
Department of Justice officials -- who administer the benefits program -- are reviewing the document once again.
People attending the 107th annual convention of the Cumberland Valley Volunteer Firemen's Association last week were briefed on the issue by Sean Carroll, director of government affairs for CFSI.
Carroll promised that CFSI and other fire service organizations will be keeping a close eye on the issue.
Originally, he said, it appeared the rules were being fine-tuned for grammatical issues and syntax. Language needed to be clarified following recent court rulings.
But, that may not be all. Changes including definitions of training are being proposed.
Hal Bruno, chairman emeritus of the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, said an attorney is reviewing the proposed changes, and the possible ramifications.
Bruno said the NFFF as well as other fire groups are well aware of what's at stake. "During a conference call with DOJ, we listened. We thought it was very important that we have a lawyer take a look at it."
Bruno, went to Capitol Hill numerous times to get the Hometown Heroes' Act correctly interpreted, said he is not surprised by the move to make additional modifications. He's been keeping an eye on the issue to insure that the families of fallen heroes are properly compensated.
Members of the Congressional Fire Caucus also have been made aware of the issue.
Before things were clarified last fall, DOJ officials were at odds with the families of fallen public safety personnel about whether to recognize a heart attack as a line-of-duty cause of death.
Although families produced medical documents and gave emotional testimony, DOJ officials denied or took no action on many of the cases.
Prior to the Hometown Heroes Act being clarified, 100 applications had been approved, 47 denied and 199 were not acted upon.
Since October, 152 fallen heroes' families have been approved for benefits, 91 denied; 64 no action and 37 are being appealed, Carroll told firefighters.
During the annual National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service in Maryland last year, President Bush said the Hometown Heroes' Act would move as it was originally intended.
"That's the least we can do as we honor the families of those who have died in the line of service," Bush told the crowd.
The deadline for public comment on the proposed changes is Sept. 8.
The document as well as information about submitting comments can be found in the Federal Register.
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