Ensuring Casualty Assistance for our Firefighters Act

This legislation requires the Department of the Interior to create a Wildland Fire Management Casualty Assistance Program within 6 months. It would support families (next-of-kin) of firefighters and wildland fire support workers who are seriously hurt, become ill on duty, or die while serving. It does not change any existing line‑of‑duty death benefits for federal personnel.

The program would ensure timely family notifications, help with travel costs to visit after a line‑of‑duty death or during hospitalization, trained casualty assistance officers, short‑ and long‑term case management, a free website with personalized information on federal benefits, a way to file complaints or ask for more help, coordination with Interior, Justice, and Social Security, and data collection to track how well assistance is delivered.

• Who is affected: Firefighters and wildland fire support personnel, and their next‑of‑kin in this order: spouse; adult children; parents; adult siblings; grandparents; then other relatives under state law.
• What changes: A new assistance program with family notifications, travel reimbursement, trained officers, case management, an information website, a complaint/help process, agency coordination, and data collection.
• When: Within 6 months after the law takes effect.