Sec. 10. Wildland Fire Management Casualty Assistance Program
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/bill/119/s/279/is/section-10·A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
In this section: The term affected firefighter means any Federal wildland firefighter or Federal wildland fire support personnel who— requires hospitalization or treatment at a medical facility due to a line-of-duty injury or illness; or is killed in the line of duty. The term affected next-of-kin , with respect to an affected firefighter, means an individual related to the affected firefighter, as determined in accordance with the following descending order of priority: A surviving legal spouse.
A child (whether by current or prior relationship) aged 18 years or older, in descending precedence by age. A parent, unless custody has been vested in another individual by court order, in which case an adoptive parent shall take precedence over the natural parent from whom custody has been so removed. A sibling (whether whole or half) aged 18 years or older, in descending precedence by age. A grandparent. Any other relative, with precedence to be determined in accordance with the applicable civil law of descent of the State of domicile of the affected firefighter at the time of the applicable illness or injury or death.
The term casualty assistance officer means an individual employed by the Department of the Interior to assist affected firefighters and affected next-of-kin with respect to the injury, illness, or death of an affected firefighter, including by providing advice relating to— services and benefits available under the Program to affected firefighters and affected next-of-kin; and funeral arrangements, if applicable. The term Program means the Wildland Fire Management Casualty Assistance Program established under subsection (b).
The term Secretary means the Secretary of the Interior. Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish a program, to be known as the Wildland Fire Management Casualty Assistance Program , under which the Secretary shall provide assistance in accordance with this section to affected firefighters and affected next-of-kin. The Program shall include the following: The provision to affected next-of-kin of the initial, and any subsequent, notification regarding the injury, illness, or death of an affected firefighter.
The reimbursement of affected next-of-kin for expenses associated with travel to visit an affected firefighter. The qualifications, assignment, training, duties, supervision, and accountability for the performance of casualty assistance officers. The relief or transfer of casualty assistance officers, including, in any case in which a casualty assistance officer is reassigned to another duty, the provision of notice of that reassignment to the applicable affected firefighters and affected next-of-kin.
Centralized short-term and long-term case management procedures for casualty assistance officers, including ensuring rapid access to expert case managers and counselors by— casualty assistance officers; and affected firefighters and affected next-of-kin. The provision, through a computer-accessible website and other means and at no cost to affected firefighters and affected next-of-kin, of personalized, integrated information relating to the benefits and financial assistance available from the Federal Government to affected firefighters and affected next-of-kin.
The provision to affected firefighters and affected next-of-kin of information relating to mechanisms for registering complaints regarding, or requests for, additional casualty assistance. Coordination among the Department of the Interior, the Department of Justice, and the Social Security Administration to ensure prompt and accurate resolution of issues relating to benefits administered by those agencies for affected firefighters and affected next-of-kin. Data collection, in consultation with the United States Fire Administration and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, regarding the incidence and quality of casualty assistance provided to affected firefighters and affected next-of-kin.
The Program shall not affect any existing authority relating to line-of-duty death benefits for affected firefighters.