Department of Justice Issues New PSOB Regulations
August 10, 2006 – Nearly three years after the Hometown Heroes Survivors Benefit Act was passed into law, the Department of Justice (DoJ) has issued the new rules under the Public Safety Officer Benefits (PSOB) program. The new regulations, including heart and stroke benefits, take effect September 11, 2006.
“We are very pleased that these regulations have finally been released,” says IAFF General President Harold Schaitberger. “It is unfortunate that the families of fallen fire fighters have waited so long, but we needed to ensure that our members’ families are fully protected and receive due benefits in the event of a line-of-duty death.”
The DoJ’s first draft of the regulations – released for comment in September 2005 – would have made it nearly impossible to collect benefits from deaths caused by heart attack or stroke. The IAFF provided extensive comments and, through bipartisan political outreach, was successful in educating the Department of Justice on several areas of concern and in garnering the support of Senator Bill Frist (R-TN), Representative Roy Blunt R-MO), Representative Steny Hoyer (D-MD), Representative Curt Weldon (R-PA) and Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) to revise the regulations.
“It was a long battle, but has ended in another success and serves as one more example of our ability to achieve results against long odds,” says President Schaitberger. “The new regulations ensure that the intent of Hometown Heroes is met and that the families of fire fighters who perish as a result of a heart attack or stroke receive PSOB benefits.”
The new regulations provide that if a public safety officer dies as a result of a heart attack or stroke, the death may be presumed to have been the result of a personal injury sustained in the line of duty. The law requires that the heart attack or stroke occurs while the officer is on duty and engaged in an emergency response activity or training exercise, or within 24 hours of such activity or exercise.
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RL McGhee III (Sandy)
IAFF 11th District VP
918-599-8176 (O)
918-855-8228 (C)
