When a line of duty death occurs, and on request of the agency sustaining the loss, the team would be deployed immediately. The team serves in a behind the scene capacity and offers suggestions based on what the department needs are, as well as, the needs of the firefighter family. Team members have a timeline of things that need to be done within hours of the tragedy to insure the ability to maximize benefits and assist the agency with some of the necessary legalities that occur with a line of duty death. The team stays in place at the agency, sometimes for several days, usually until the funeral services are completed.
The duties of the team do not end there, they provide information to the department on an as needed basis to assist the family and department beyond the funeral services.
The team will respond with many of the necessary items to facilitate a firefighters funeral service. Departments will not be burdened to acquire these items, as they will be provided for the departments use. A funeral service guide has been established to assist the family and department in choosing options to fit the services they desire. Funeral ceremony protocols are provided for use if desired as well. Our team utilizes the incident command system and has pre determined duties assigned to the sector officers. Once again, our team members serve in a behind the scene capacity, leaving the members of the stricken department as the "front" people for the services.
Another job of our team is to be versed on available benefits available to the fallen firefighters family. These MAY include free funeral services through the Dignity Memorial Network, local organizations that provide aid to the family as well as scholarship assistance to any children of the deceased. We can assist with paperwork to qualify the deceased for placement on the State of Missouri Memorial Wall, the National Memorial Monument, the IAFF Memorial Wall and some local memorial sites as well.