Junior Firefighters Deserve Benefits, Congressman Argues

April 6, 2005
Pennsylvania Congressman Curt Weldon introduced legislation this week to provide Junior Firefighters who are killed in the line of duty the same Public Safety Officers Benefits (PSOB) available to all firefighters.

Pennsylvania Congressman Curt Weldon introduced legislation this week to provide Junior Firefighters who are killed in the line of duty the same Public Safety Officers Benefits (PSOB) available to all firefighters.

Weldon (R-PA) introduced the bipartisan legislation Monday, April 4th and addressed Congress about the issue Wednesday afternoon, an aide said.

According to a press release, Weldon drafted the legislation in response to the death of Christopher Kangas, a 14 year-old junior firefighter with the Brookhaven Fire Department in Pennsylvania, who died three years ago while responding to a fire.

The Department of Justice denounced Kangas full firefighter status, to the dismay of his family, the Brookhaven Department and firefighters across the country.

"Christopher's death was a horrendous tragedy and marked the loss of a local hero," Weldon said in a prepared statement.

"As Vice Chairman of the Homeland Security Committee which has oversight of first responder issues, founder of the Congressional Fire and EMS Caucus, a former junior member of my local department and former volunteer fire chief, I am distraught that this young man was refused the right to be a firefighter. The Public Safety Officers' Benefits Act doesn't make judgment calls about what roles a firefighter must perform to entitle them to benefits. The Department of Justice's ruling inappropriately rewrote the law and narrowed the definition of firefighter to exclude individuals based on age."

According to the press release, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the Borough of Brookhaven awarded the Kangas family public safety officer benefits, recognizing his death occurred in the line of duty as a member of the fire department.

Since Congress passed the Public Safety Officers' Benefits Act in 1977, it has provided benefits to any firefighter serving as an officially recognized member of a legally organized fire department.

"Whether a 30 year-old firefighter is killed manning a hose, a 60 year-old firefighter is killed directing traffic at a scene, or a 14 year-old firefighter is killed while providing emergency medical supplies or performing many other duties necessary for the suppression of fire, he or she should be entitled to benefits," Weldon said.

"Like thousands of Junior Firefighters across the country do everyday, Christopher fulfilled his duty and served his community on the day he was killed. As a result of the Justice Department's ruling, an entire class of firefighters who serve, protect, and die while responding to an emergency are now deemed inconsequential. I am appalled by this ruling and have introduced the Christopher Kangas Fallen Firefighter Apprentice Act H.R. 1456 to retroactively prevent Junior Firefighters from being denied the status they deserve based on their age."

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