Legislators Reintroduce Act to Support Families of Fallen Firefighters

Two Midwestern legislators hope to reintroduce and pass an act that would expand benefit access for the families of firefighters and first responders.

Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act looks to give federal support to current and former first responder families who have had someone pass away or been permanently disabled from service-related cancers.

The Act is being reintroduced by Senator Amy Klobucahar (D-MN) and Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND).

Occupational cancer is the leading cause of death for firefighters. They’re at a 9% higher risk of being diagnosed with cancer and a 14% higher risk of dying from cancer than the general public.

“The danger of first responders are not just at the immediate moment, it is the life after retirement,” said Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) in a virtual press event. “We just want to make sure that we have your backs because you always had ours.”

“In the past 18 months we’ve seen fire and police in action for the Maui wildfires, Hurricane Helene, and now the LA wildfires. These are major events which obtain national coverage, but everyday our first responders selflessly serve our communities and are in danger of exposure to toxins and carcinogens,” said Julie Paidar, the widow of fallen St. Paul Fire Captain Michael Paidar. “When tragedy does occur, the public safety officer benefit program provides death and education benefits to the survivors of fallen first responders and they provide disability to those injured in the line of duty. But unfortunately cancer, with the exception of 9/11 related cancer, is not considered a qualifying event for PSOB.”

The Honoring Fallen Heroes Act was first introduced after Michael Paidar, a St. Paul fire captain, who died from an aggressive form of Acute Myeliod Leukemia in 2020.

In 2021, after strong advocacy, the Minnesota Department of Public Safety awarded line-of-duty benefits to Captain Paidar’s widow Julie. This marked the first time that a firefighter’s family had received benefits cancer through Minnesota’s Public Safety Benefit Program.

The Act would ensure that firefighters across the country are eligible to receive similar benefits under the federal PSOB program.