The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has significantly accelerated the processing of Public Safety Officers’ Benefits (PSOB) claims, finalizing more than three times as many survivor claim determinations in the past four weeks as it completed in the previous nine months.
The DOJ’s Office of Justice Programs said the surge has delivered more than $96 million in benefits to eligible surviving families of fallen public safety officers. The acceleration followed a directive from Associate Attorney General Stanley E. Woodward Jr. to add resources to the PSOB team, supporting applicant outreach, evidence gathering, claim review, and determinations.
Victor Stagnaro, CEO of the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF), welcomed the progress and thanked Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, Associate Attorney General Woodward, and the PSOB team for their work to get benefits to Fire Hero Families more quickly.
“Delivering $96 million in benefits in a matter of weeks shows what’s possible when we prioritize the first responder community,” Stagnaro said. “For families carrying the weight of losing a firefighter or another public safety officer, timely recognition and support make a real difference during one of the hardest moments of their lives.”
The PSOB Program provides death and education benefits to survivors of fallen law enforcement officers, firefighters, and other first responders. It also provides disability benefits to public safety officers catastrophically injured in the line of duty, as well as education benefits to their families.
Stagnaro said the NFFF will continue working with the DOJ to maintain momentum for current and future applicants, including families now eligible for occupational cancer-related benefits under the Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act.
Families seeking help with the PSOB process can access support through the NFFF’s Local Assistance State Team Program, a partnership with the DOJ Bureau of Justice Assistance. Trained responders, including benefit specialists, help survivors prepare and submit claims and connect them with peer support, counseling, and other resources.
Families and fire departments can contact the LAST Program at (866) 736-5868 or email National LAST Team Coordinator Ian Bennett at ibennett@firehero.org to find assistance in their state.
