Firefighter Down Program

Each year on average, twenty-five wildland firefighters will die while protecting buildings, the environment, and natural resources and dozens more are injured in burnovers, vehicle accidents, and in other ways from the hazards of their jobs. These firefighters work for private contractors, volunteer fire departments, and government agencies such as the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, Department of Natural Resources, Bureau of Indian Affairs, and other land-use agencies. The Foundation is there with immediate assistance regardless of the firefighter’s employer. The ability to provide critical needs without red-tape is the overall goal of the organization.

Wildland firefighters rarely are injured in the town where they live and are generally seasonal employees who perform other duties during the off-season. An injury during the fire season can be severely detrimental to their income earning abilities and economic stability. Through our program we can ensure that these firefighters’ needs are taken care of, as well as those of their families. We will help injured firefighters during their recovery, whether their needs are financial, emotional, or as an advocate as they apply for workers comp or other work-injury related benefits. Part of that assistance includes covering expenses of the family members that need to be with their loved one as they recover from their injuries. Many of the families are from rural America with limited finances. Our program will provide for these firefighters and their families during crisis situations. By paying for airline tickets, gas or mileage, hotel rooms, providing a cell phone or laptop computer, setting up visits from someone in our survivor support network, and working with the local fire departments to cover expenses or needs to provide someone from the fire service to host the family while in an unknown community, we hope to alleviate some of the stress these families will experience throughout the recovery process.

AUSTIN BERRIGAN
CHRIS FRY