The Trump administration has awarded the IAFF Foundation $756,000 to help families of fallen fire fighters and emergency medical workers file Public Safety Officers’ Benefits (PSOB) claims.
The funding will support the IAFF’s work helping surviving families prepare and file claims for submission to the Department of Justice.
The award comes as DOJ has worked to accelerate its own review of PSOB claims. Over the past four weeks, the department has finalized more than three times as many death-claim determinations as it had during the previous nine months, resulting in more than $96 million in benefits for families of fallen public safety officers.
The additional investment is expected to further accelerate determinations as more families qualify for benefits under the Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act.
“When Congress passed the Honor Act last year, it sent a clear message that the survivors of our fallen had waited long enough for the support they’ve earned,” said General President Edward Kelly. “This grant will strengthen the support the IAFF provides families throughout the claims process, while the Justice Department’s renewed focus helps ensure they receive the benefits they have earned without unnecessary delay.
“I’m grateful to President Trump and the DOJ for making survivors a priority,” he added.
More than 1,200 PSOB applications are submitted to the DOJ each year. After President Trump signed the Honor Act late last year as part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), DOJ is anticipating an increase in PSOB claims going forward.
The bipartisan, IAFF-endorsed Honor Act reformed the program’s eligibility requirements to include survivors of fire fighters who have died from job-related cancers – the number one killer of fire fighters – dating back to 2020.
This grant will strengthen the support the IAFF provides families throughout the claims process, while the Justice Department’s renewed focus helps ensure they receive the benefits they have earned without unnecessary delay.
General President Edward Kelly
Historically, PSOB claims have often taken two to three years to process, leaving surviving families struggling while their application is reviewed. Quicker claim determinations will help ensure families receive financial support they need when they need it – not years after their loved one made the ultimate sacrifice.
“Four weeks ago, I directed the DOJ’s Office of Justice Programs to surge additional resources to the PSOB team to support outreach to applicants, evidence gathering, and claim review and determination,” said Associate Attorney General Stanley E. Woodward, Jr., who oversees the PSOB program. “This DOJ is unwavering in our commitment to promptly and fairly recognize the sacrifice their loved ones made in service to our nation.”
The PSOB program provides a one-time federal death benefit of over $461,000 to the families of fallen fire fighters, law enforcement officers, and other first responders.
The IAFF helps members, affiliates, and surviving families understand PSOB eligibility, prepare required documentation, and file claims.
Members and survivors can visit the union’s PSOB Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page or contact [email protected] to learn more.
