Fallen Heroes Fund
Purpose
To provide financial assistance to the beneficiaries of county and municipal First Responders whose death occurred In the Line of Duty on behalf of Hillsborough County. The Board finds that this policy serves a public purpose to assist in the support of the beneficiaries of Hillsborough County First Responders who have died while in the performance of their duties to the citizens of Hillsborough County.
Policy
It is the policy of the Board of County Commissioners that a Fallen Heroes Program (Program) be established to provide monetary benefits for the support, and maintenance of the beneficiaries of specified fallen First Responders who have died while in the performance of their duties to the citizens of Hillsborough County, which Program shall be administered pursuant to the requirements of this Policy as described below and as set forth in First Responders Fallen Heroes Fund & Memorial Tribute Reference and Procedure Guide incorporated by reference as part of this policy. County funding for the Program will be provided in the form of an annual General Fund non-departmental appropriation with provisions for total annual funding not to exceed one million dollars.
Definitions
- A. First Responder: A First Responder includes:
- A law enforcement or correctional officer as defined in §943.10, F.S.;
- A firefighter as defined in §633.30, F.S.; or
- An emergency medical technician or a paramedic as defined in §401.23, F.S., is any who are:
- employed (including full-time, part-time, or volunteer) by Hillsborough County, or
- one of the municipalities of Tampa, Temple Terrace, and Plant City.
- B. In the Line of Duty: In the Line of Duty means a First Responder who at the time of death, or an injury that is the direct and proximate cause of death, is in the course of actually:
- Engaging in law enforcement;
- Performing fire suppression and prevention related activity;
- Responding to a hazardous-material emergency;
- Performing rescue activity;
- Providing emergency medical services;
- Performing disaster relief activity;
- Otherwise engaging in emergency response activity; or
- Engaging in a department or agency authorized training exercise related to any of the above events or activities; and
- the employing public agency legally recognizes him or her to have been in such course at the time of the event directly and proximately causing the death or injury.
- A heart attack or stroke which causes death, or causes an injury resulting in death, must occur within 24 hours of one of the above events or activities and must be determined to have been directly and proximately caused by the event or activity.
- C. Beneficiary: Benefits shall be paid to surviving beneficiaries in the following descending order:
- The beneficiary designated in writing by the First Responder on the form approved by the Fallen Heroes Program Administrator, which form has been filed with the employing agency prior to the death or injury;
- The First Responder’s surviving children and spouse in equal portions;
- The First Responder’s surviving parents; or
- If none of the above is applicable, the First Responder’s estate.
- D. Program Administrator: The Program Administrator is the Hillsborough County Business and Support Services Department.
Fallen Heroes Program
The Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners hereby establishes the Fallen Heroes Program for the purpose of providing monetary benefits to the beneficiaries of First Responders who have died, or suffered an injury resulting in death, while In the Line of Duty, serving and protecting the citizens of Hillsborough County. County funding for the Program, including any mid-year supplemental appropriations, will be provided in the form of an annual General Fund non-departmental appropriation with provisions for total annual funding not to exceed one million dollars. The amount of County monetary benefits paid to the Beneficiary, as defined above, of a fallen First Responder shall be up to $100,000. County monetary benefits paid under the program may be supplemented by private and/or outside donations through the establishment of a temporary escrow account within the County’s financial system. Except as otherwise provided in this Policy, the Clerk of the Circuit Court (Clerk) is authorized through adoption of this policy to establish and account for such escrow account upon the request of the Program Administrator for ninety (90) days from the time of the death of an eligible First Responder for the purpose of paying such additional benefits that are funded by such private and/or outside donations. The Clerk is also authorized to issue payment(s), at the direction of the Program Administrator, without further action of the Board of County Commissioners, to eligible Beneficiaries, as defined above, in shares proportionate to the distribution of the County funds.
Line of Duty Determination and Request for Benefits
The employing agency shall be responsible for determining whether the death or injury resulting in death occurred In the Line of Duty and shall submit to the County Program Administrator sufficient documentation from its investigation of the event to support its determination. The employing agency shall be responsible for submitting an approved request for benefits form to the Program Administrator on behalf of the Beneficiary, as defined above.
Benefits Paid Due to a Catastrophic or Terrorist Event
The Board of County Commissioners reserves the right to adjust the amount of County benefits paid under the Program to a Beneficiary, as defined above, due to the occurrence of a catastrophic (natural or manmade) or terrorist event, which results in multiple deaths or injuries resulting in death in order to ensure annual County appropriations do not exceed one million dollars.
Responsibility
It is the responsibility of the County Administrator, through the Business and Support Services Department, to implement this policy and to establish procedures for its administration. The Business and Support Services Department shall be the Program Administrator. The Program Administrator shall be responsible for collecting, receipting, depositing, and acknowledging private and outside donations.
Delivery of Funds to Beneficiaries
When reasonably possible, funds from this Program shall be delivered personally to each Beneficiary. It is the responsibility of the Chairman of the Board of County Commissioners to designate a Board Member or member of the County Administrator’s staff to deliver the funds on behalf of the County.
BOCC Fallen Heroes Ceremony
The Communications and Digital Media Services Department and the Fallen Hero’s Emergency Response Agency shall coordinate with the surviving family member(s) of the Fallen Hero to determine their wishes for the remembrance ceremony, which will take place at a regular Board of County Commissioners meeting. Communications and Digital Media Services will contact any other agency or department, as is appropriate, to assist with planning and scheduling the ceremony. See First Responders Fallen Heroes Fund and Memorial Tribute Reference and Procedural Guide for ceremony details and protocol.
Termination
This Policy, and the Program established by it, shall continue from year to year subject to an annual appropriation by the Board.
Effective Date
This Policy shall take effect immediately upon approval by the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners and approval of an appropriation.