When a firefighter dies in the line of duty, families must adjust to life without their loved one. Too often, they must also face the loss of the primary breadwinner. While no amount of money or financial support can compensate for the loss of a loved one, benefits honor the service of firefighters and ensure their families are not forgotten.

The Foundation has conducted extensive research in each state to identify the range of benefits available to survivors of state and local firefighters who died in the line of duty. These include lump sum death payments, workers' compensation, funeral benefits, pensions and retirement programs, scholarships, and non-profit/private support. We encourage all fire departments to have a current list of federal, state and local benefits readily available.

Survivors of firefighters employed by a Federal Government agency or department may receive federal survivor benefits.

Families of Federal, state, and local fire and rescue personnel may also be eligible for benefits under the Department of Justice's Public Safety Officers' Benefits (PSOB) Program.

Public law exempts many line-of-duty pension and retirement benefits from federal taxes. Click here to read more about benefits and taxes.

The Foundation has developed a Survivor Benefits Guide to help survivors stay organized as they navigate through the process of applying for benefits. Use the link at the right to download this pdf document. We can also put you in touch with another survivor who is familiar with the benefits process.