The North Carolina Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NCFFF) and the North Carolina Office of the State Fire Marshal (NCOSFM) have joined together as members of the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation Local Assistance State Team Program (NFFF – L.A.S.T.). The NFFF – L.A.S.T. Program is a national program that has been developed in partnership with the United States Department of Justice. The primary objective of this program is to provide assistance and comfort to the families and fire departments of our fallen heroes and to help with the filing for Public Safety Officer Benefits (PSOB) from federal, state, and local benefit programs.
Members from the NCFFF and the NCOSFM have attended training and are recognized as a National Fallen Firefighter Local Assistance State Team. With this level of preparation and recognition, the North Carolina L.A.S.T. now has access to a host of additional services and programs to support North Carolina Fire Service Fallen Heroes’ survivors and their families.
The NCOSFM provides direct technical support to the surviving family and fire department that has suffered a LODD to submit the necessary documentation for the State and Federal Public Safety Officers Benefits. The NCFFF upon request is prepared to support the surviving family and fire department members to make available resources and assistance that will provide for such things as memorial service planning, grief counseling, survivor support network, and recognition at the annual NFFF and NCFFF Memorial Services.
A very special program that is now available to all Public Safety Members in North Carolina is the Dignity Memorial Public Servants Program. This program provides a dignified and honorable tribute, at no cost, for career and volunteer firefighters who die in the line of duty. The “Public Servants Program” is provided to honor our fallen heroes and to help relieve the financial stress on the family of those who are killed in the line of duty. You may go to www.ncfff.org for more information concerning this wonderful plan.
The NCFFF and the NCOSFM are proud to be partnered to strengthen our abilities and extend our efforts to support North Carolina Fire Service Families. Our organizations are truly committed to continue this honorable service that allows us to “Take Care of Our Own”.
You may contact the NCFFF toll free at 1-877-810-1800 or the NCOSFM at 1-800-634-7854
or visit our websites: www.ncfff.org or www.ncdoi.com/osfm
Article submitted by:
| Division Chief Walter E. Jones President, NCFFF City of Rocky Mount Fire Department Rocky Mount, N.C. Telephone 252-972-1381 w.e.jones@rockymountnc.gov |
Mike Edwards Fire and Rescue Commission LODD Certification Specialist Raleigh, N.C. 919-661-5880 mike.edwards@ncdoi.gov |