|
Benefits listed here do not include special benefits for survivors of Fire Department of New York firefighters killed in the World Trade Center Incident on September 11, 2001.
Career firefighters: If the death occurs within one year of an injury sustained in the performance of duty, State law mandates the municipality pay a lump sum death benefit. The benefit shall be equal to the annual salary during the year preceding the firefighter's death or the year preceding the injury, whichever is greater, plus $1,000 or 10 percent of the final salary, whichever is higher, for each child under age 18 on the date of the death.
If the covered service death is not a result of an on-the-job accident, the beneficiary may be entitled to the state's ordinary death benefit of up to $50,000.
Paid firefighters who become permanently disabled due to certain types of cancer may be eligible for performance of duty or accidental disability benefits. If death occurs due to a certain type of cancer, beneficiaries may be eligible to receive accidental death benefits. Firefighter must have been a member of the New York State and Local Police and Fire Retirement System. In most cases, these benefits will be greater than ordinary death or disability benefits. Benefit must be filed within two years of the death.
Contact:
New York State Comptroller and Local Police and Fire Retirement System
110 State Street
Albany, NY 12244-0001
(518) 474-7736
(866) 805-0990
Website: www.osc.state.ny.us/retire/index.htm
Volunteer firefighters: A lump sum benefit of $56,000 is paid to the surviving spouse, or the the estate if there is no surviving spouse.
Contact:
New York State Workers' Compensation Board
20 Park Street
Albany, NY 12207
(518) 474-6674
Website: www.wcb.state.ny.us
(Reference: New York State Reserve Statute 6046; New York ADC Law Section 13-244, New York Code Section 13-244; New York RSS Law Section 607 [World Trade Center])
|
|
All medical expenses directly associated with the death are paid. Children are considered dependent until age 18 or age 25 if enrolled in an accredited educational institution.
Career firefighters: New York City firefighters are not covered under Workers' Compensation law.
A weekly benefit equal to two-thirds of the employee's average weekly wage for the year before the fatal accident paid to the spouse. The weekly compensation may not exceed the weekly maximum, despite the number of dependents. If the surviving spouse remarries, a lump sum benefit of up to $41,800 is paid. If no minor children, the spouse receives the maximum amount. If there are children receiving the weekly benefit amount at the time of remarriage, the spouse receives a lump sum award of $22,800. Benefit may be subject to social security offset.
Volunteer firefighters: Benefits are paid under the Volunteer Firefighters' Benefit Law. Volunteers are considered employees of the municipality for the purpose of Workers' Compensation.
If the death occurred on or after July 1, 1992, a weekly benefit of $887 is paid to the surviving spouse with no dependent children. A surviving spouse with dependent children is entitled to smaller weekly cash benefits. Children are also entitled to weekly cash benefits. Upon remarriage, a spouse without dependent children is paid a lump sum ($92,219 as of FY 2008) and benefits terminate. A spouse with dependent children who remarries receives a smaller lump sum payment. Dependent children continue to receive weekly benefits when the spouse remarries.
Contact:
New York State Workers' Compensation Board
100 Broadway-Menands
Albany, NY 12241
(518) 474-6674
Website: www.wcb.state.ny.us
|
|
Career firefighters: Maximum of $6,700.
Volunteer firefighters: Maximum of $6,700 for burial expenses. If the firefighter dies from injuries received in the line of duty as a direct result of firefighting, the maximum may be increased.
Contact:
New York State Workers' Compensation Board
100 Broadway-Menands
Albany, NY 12241
(518) 474-6674
Website: www.wcb.state.ny.us
|
|
Career firefighters (Exclusive of New York City): Retirement System membership is mandatory for paid firefighters in public employment. Accidental Death Benefit: If death occurs as the direct result of an on-the-job accident, beneficiary will receive an annual allowance equal to 50% of the deceased firefighter's final average salary (less any Workers' Compensation benefit paid or payable due to the death). This is a lifetime benefit for the surviving spouse. If no spouse survives, the benefit is paid to dependent children until age 18 or age 23 if a student. When there is no spouse or minor children, benefit payable to dependent parents.
If the firefighter dies under circumstances which permit payment of the accidental death benefit, the survivors will also be paid a special accidental death benefit. This benefit is a pension equal to the firefighter's salary, which will increase by 3% each year after death, reduced by the accidental death benefit and Social Security benefit payable.
If you participated in the World Trade Center Site rescue, recovery or clean-up efforts, certain family beneficiaries may be eligible for accidental death benefits if death results from a qualifying condition.
Contact:
New York State and Local Police and Fire Retirement System
110 State Street
Albany, NY 12244-0001
(518) 474-7736
(866) 805-0990
Website: www.osc.state.ny.us/retire/index.htm
Firefighters in New York state may also belong to different or additional pension systems. Check with department benefits officer.
FDNY Firefighters Contact:
Pension Unit, FDNY
9 Metro Tech Center, Room 6W-5
Brooklyn, NY 11201
|
|
Memorial Scholarships for Families of Deceased Firefighters, Volunteer Firefighters, Police Officers, Peace Officers and Emergency Medical Service Workers awarded to full-time undergraduates at approved NY colleges/post-secondary institutions. To qualify for award, firefighter must have died as the result of an injury sustained in the line of duty. Memorial Scholarships are available for four years of full time undergraduate study or for five years in an approved five-year bachelor's degree program. Covers actual tuition or the State University of New York (SUNY or CUNY) undergraduate tuition, whichever is less. Assistance also available for non-tuition costs such as room and board with allowances for books, supplies, and transportation. If you are a financial dependent, you are eligible under this program.
Memorial Scholarship students attending institutions with tuition charges higher than SUNY or CUNY charges may receive additional assistance through New York State’s Tuition Assistance Program.
Contact:
New York State Higher Education Services Corporation
99 Washington Avenue
Albany, NY 12255
(888) 697-4372
www.hesc.com
|
|
Memorial Scholarships for Families of Deceased Firefighters, Volunteer Firefighters, Police Officers, Peace Officers and Emergency Medical Service Workers awarded to full-time undergraduates at approved NY colleges/post-secondary institutions. To qualify for award, firefighter must have died as the result of an injury sustained in the line of duty. Memorial Scholarships are available for four years of full time undergraduate study or for five years in an approved five-year bachelor's degree program. Covers actual tuition or the State University of New York (SUNY or CUNY) undergraduate tuition, whichever is less. Assistance also available for non-tuition costs such as room and board with allowances for books, supplies, and transportation. If you are a financial dependent, you are eligible under this program.
Memorial Scholarship students attending institutions with tuition charges higher than SUNY or CUNY charges may receive additional assistance through New York State’s Tuition Assistance Program.
Contact:
New York State Higher Education Services Corporation
99 Washington Avenue
Albany, NY 12255
(888) 697-4372
www.hesc.com
|
|
The 100 Club of Buffalo, Inc.
3871 Harlem Rd., Suite 4
Buffalo, NY 14215-1937
Phone: (716) 892-5034
Website: www.100clubbuffalo.org
Serves the Buffalo and western New York region. Provides benefit of $10,000 immediately, legal guidance and $10,000 cemetery-funeral expenses through participating funeral homes.
The Hundred Club of Westchester
c/o Westchester County Association
707 Westchester Avenue, #213
White Plains, NY 10604
(914) 948-6444
Serves White Plains and Westchester County. Spouse receives a one-time benefit of $2,500. Children up to age 18 receive $500 every year on birthdays and Christmas.
Children of Injured Workers
4983 Brittonfield Parkway
East Syracuse, NY 13057
(315) 449-4306 (Ask for Children of Injured Workers)
www.kidschanceny.org
Provides educational assistance to children of New York State workers who are killed in the line of duty and covered by the worker's comp laws of New York State.
Several private organizations provide support to the families of public safety officers in the New York City area. A few of these are listed below:
Silver Shield Foundation
866 United Nations Plaza, Suite 307
New York, NY 10017
Phone: (212)-832-1100
Website: www.silvershieldfoundation.org
Scholarships for tutoring or tuition at an accredited college, or graduate, vocational, preparatory or technical school for the children of New York City firefighters killed in the line of duty. Support and counseling is also available for the children and spouses. Continuing education opportunities are available for the spouses. Also provides a free annual comprehensive medical exam for surviving spouses at New York Presbyterian Hospital.
Scholarship America, Inc.
1550 American Blvd. E.
Suite 155
Minneapolis, MN 55425
Phone: (952) 830-7300
(800) 279-2083
Website: www.scholarshipamerica.org
Oversees the Families of Freedom Scholarship Fund available to the families of New York City firefighters killed on September 11, 2001.
|
|
