Wayne Turner, 58, from Big Sandy, Mont., was killed June 17 when his Dromader M-18 crashed after dropping retardant on a complex of fires near St. George. Turner was a contract pilot working for New Frontier Aviation out of Fort Benton, Mont.
New Frontier Aviation has a contract with federal agencies for Western wildfire suppression on public lands.
But because Turner was working for a private contractor, his family is not eligible to receive he approximately $260,000 payment under the Public Safety Officers' Benefits program administered by the Department of Justice.
The lobby effort was reported this week by The Salt Lake Tribune.
``If the nation wants to recruit people to save our homes and our lands, you have to ask why a good pilot would sign on when their families will be not only emotionally but financially devastated if they're killed performing their duty,'' said Kristie Turner, Wayne Turner's daughter-in-law.
Members of Congress in both houses are sponsoring legislation to retroactively award the death benefit to the families of 89 air tanker pilots killed since 1976 while fighting fires for the federal government, The Salt Lake Tribune reported this week.
``While it's true that the pilots are flying for private contractors, they are flying over public land and they're protecting the lives and property of citizens,'' said Rep. Barbara Cubin, R-Wyo., sponsor of the House version of bill. ``Now America ought to protect them.''
Utah GOP representatives Chris Cannon and Rob Bishop are co-sponsoring Cubin's bill, which is languishing in the House. No action has been taken on a Senate version.
