Crime & Safety

Pending Fire Police Legislation Has Roots In Southeastern Connecticut

Rep. Joe Courtney's bill got its start with a Gales Ferry incident

By Ledyard Patch Editor Jessie King

Joe Courtney met with fire police, firefighters and volunteers from around the area today to announce his continuing efforts and new legislation to extend public safety officer death benefits to fire police; a measure that was born and raised in Gales Ferry. 

The legislation got its start four years ago and as the story goes, was a result of a close call in Gales Ferry. 

Patch originally reported that Gales Ferry Fire Chief Tony Saccone said an accident on Route 12 inspired him to contact Courtney’s office. At the accident scene, Larry Laflamme, a member of the Gales Ferry Fire Police, was directing traffic. Saccone said a motorist failed to heed officers at the scene and came close to hitting Laflamme. 

“Larry, who was 70 at the time, had to jump over a guard rail to keep from getting killed,” Saccone said. “And that got me thinking. He’s down here doing the same job I’m doing. If I get run over in the line of duty, my family would get a benefit. He would get jack.” 

Surviving family members of a fire fighter and a police officer are already entitled to a death benefit under the Public Safety Officers Bill and Courtney aims to add fire police to the mix. 

“I think it’ll be good,” said Elliot Gray, a fire police captain for Ledyard Fire District #1. “We’re out there protecting the scene.” 

Gray has 51 years as a fire fighter and fire police and said that his role in any emergency response can be dangerous. Captain Gray said they direct traffic and protect people on and off the scene. 

Only seven states use fire police and they are not covered under the federal Public Safety Officer’s Benefit (PSOB) program. Courtney’s bill would change that. 

"PSOB provides a one-time benefit to eligible survivors of public safety officers whose deaths were the direct and proximate result of an injury sustained in the line of duty" according to a release from Courtney's staff. It also provides a one-time benefit to eligible public safety officers who were permanently and totally disabled as a result of a catastrophic injury sustained in the line of duty. 

“In towns across eastern Connecticut, fire police are first on the scene right along with police, fire fighters and EMTs,” said Congressman Courtney. “If, God forbid, they are injured or killed in service to their community, it is only right that they receive the same benefits as other public safety officers. This bill would cut through bureaucratic red tape, and ensure that fire police get the benefits they earn and deserve.”


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